The Story of Echostar
by it-will-be-anarchy
Summary: A random story I thought of. Takes place a few moons after Sunrise. The journey of a cat, from kithood to apprenticeship, being a warrior, then finally a leader. Rated T for paranoia. ON HIATUS
1. Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

Leader- Firestar

Deputy- Brambleclaw

Medicine Cat- Jayfeather

Warriors- Squirrelflight

Dustpelt

Sandstorm

Apprentice, Briarpaw

Cloudtail

Brackenfur

Sorreltail

Apprentice, Toadpaw

Thornclaw

Brightheart

Birchfall

Apprentice, Rosepaw

Graystripe

Berrynose

Mousewhisker

Apprentice, Blossompaw

Cinderheart

Apprentice, Bumblepaw

Lionblaze

Foxpelt

Icestorm

Queens- Ferncloud; mother of Dustpelt's kits: Smokekit, Dewkit

Daisy

Millie

Whitewing; mother of Birchfall's kits: Dovekit, Ivykit

Poppyfrost; mother of Thornclaw's kits: Goldenkit, Fogkit, Eaglekit

Hazeltail; mother of Lionblaze's kits: Silverkit, Snowkit, Dapplekit, Echokit

Elders- Longtail

ShadowClan

Leader- Blackstar

Deputy- Rowanclaw

Medicine Cat- Littlecloud

Apprentice, Flamepaw

Warriors- Oakfur

Smokefoot

Apprentice, Owlpaw

Ivytail

Toadfoot

Crowfrost

Kinkfur

Apprentice, Rockpaw

Ratscar

Apprentice, Shrewpaw

Snaketail

Tawnypelt

Apprentice, Darkpaw

Tigerheart

Dawnlight

Olivebranch

Scorchfire

Redpelt

Queens- Snowbird

Whitewater; expecting Crowfrost's kits

Elders- Cedarheart

WindClan

Leader- Onestar

Deputy- Ashfoot

Medicine Cat- Kestrelwing

Warriors- Crowfeather

Owlwhisker

Whitetail

Nightcloud

Gorsetail

Weaselfur

Harespring

Dewspots

Apprentice, Sedgepaw

Willowclaw

Apprentice, Swallowpaw

Antpelt

Apprentice, Thistlepaw

Emberfoot

Apprentice, Sunpaw

Breezepelt

Queens- Heathertail; expecting Breezepelt's kits

Elders- Webfoot

Tornear

RiverClan

Leader- Mistystar

Deputy- Reedwhisker

Medicine Cat- Mothwing

Apprentice, Willowshine

Warriors- Blackclaw

Apprentice, Beetlepaw

Mosspelt

Beechfur

Rippletail

Apprentice, Mallowpaw

Graymist

Apprentice, Petalpaw

Dawnflower

Pouncetail

Apprentice, Pricklepaw

Mintfur

Pinefur

Rainstorm

Apprentice, Sneezepaw

Duskfur

Apprentice, Grasspaw

Minnowtail

Pebbleclaw

Robinflight

Copperpelt

Queens- Icewing

Dapplenose; mother of Rainstorm's kit: Bluekit

Otterheart; expecting Pouncetail's kits

Elders- Heavystep

Swallowtail


	2. Prologue

Leafpool looked at the sky.

She was alone.

All her life, all she wanted to do was be a medicine cat. And then she fell in love.

_Why _did she have to have kits with Crowfeather? _Why _did Hollyleaf reveal the secret? _Why _must StarClan be so cruel? Medicine cats have feelings too, just like any other warrior. _Why _was it wrong to love?

Leafpool continued padding along. Before she knew it, she came upon the cave. It was the cave that, so long ago, she and Crowfeather had sheltered in while they ran away from the Clans. Then Midnight found them, then they went back, then Leafpool gave up Crowfeather, then she realized she was having kits.

She could just remember, so clearly, when she told Squirrelflight.

_"Leafpool, why are we coming way out here?" Squirrelflight asked jokingly. "It's not like anyone's going to find us. What's so important that no one else can know?" Squirrelflight's face clouded. "Did you receive a prophecy?"_

_"No," Leafpool meowed shakily. "No, it's much worse...and better...than that."_

_"Worse and better?" Squirrelflight looked concerned. "What..."_

_Leafpool took a deep breath. "Squirrelflight. I'm...I'm expecting Crowfeather's kits."_

_There was a shocked silence that seemed to hang in the air for moons._

_Finally, Squirrelflight stammered, "But...but that's against the warrior code...and...what? You CAN'T be!"_

_"I am," Leafpool whispered. "And I need to ask too much of you."_

_Squirrelflight looked at her. "You don't mean..."_

_"Yes, I do," Leafpool meowed sadly. "I need you to take my kits and pretend they're yours and Brambleclaw's."_

_Squirrelflight gaped at her. "I can't believe..." she murmured._

_"You have to," Leafpool urged. "And I need you now, Squirrelflight. I need you to take my kits. I...I can't give up my life as a medicine cat...and I can't let anyone know that these kits are mine. Please, Squirrelflight, please. I don't want to do this to you, but it's the only way."_

_Squirrelflight hung her head in defeat. "You know I would do anything for you, Leafpool," she meowed quietly._

Leafpool crawled inside the cave and curled up, shivering. She had lost everything that had ever meant anything to her. She soon fell asleep.

In her dreams, Leafpool was in darkness. Complete, total darkness. _StarClan has shut me out, _she thought hopelessly. She began padding through the darkness, knowing that she would wake soon. Suddenly, an eerie shape melted from the black.

Leafpool gasped. "Jayfeather!" she cried. But as she looked closer, she realized it was not Jayfeather, it was a she-cat, which could have been Jayfeather's littermate. The she-cat turned her pale blue eyes on Leafpool.

The she-cat rasped, "_They see four, but it is three and one. The one shall rise...then fade like an echo."_

Leafpool jerked awake, breathing heavily. Had she just received a prophecy? No, she couldn't have. But...what if it _was _true? She had to get back to the Clans--fast. Because she felt something was wrong...not just with the Clans, but with Jayfeather himself.


	3. Chapter 1

Echokit blinked open her eyes for the first time.

She knew that the big shape in front of her must be her mother. She wasn't sure of her mother's name. There was a kit next to her on both sides, and one more. She knew the one was Silverkit, but that was all.

Her mother was awakening. When she saw Echokit, her face took on a look of pleasure. "You've opened your eyes!" she exclaimed.

"Ferncloud!" Her mother was shaking another cat. "Ferncloud, Echokit has finally opened her eyes!" _Finally? _Echokit thought that word meant _after a long time. _It didn't take her long to open her eyes.

The cat her mother was shaking groaned. "Hazeltail, it didn't take _that _long."

"Yes, but it took longer than the others," her mother, Hazeltail, objected.

Echokit looked at her littermates. She was startled to see how much bigger they were than her. And they all had their eyes open and were staring at her intently.

"Echokit!" one of the kits she didn't know meowed happily. "You can see now!" The other kit noticed she looked confused, because she meowed, "I'm Dapplekit, your sister."

_Dapplekit. _The name rang in Echokit's head.

The other two, her brothers, introduced themselves as Silverkit and Snowkit.

Dapplekit leaped to her feet. "Come on now, Echokit, Silverkit, Snowkit!" she mewed excitedly. "Let's go and explore the camp!"

_Camp?_

"You, Silverkit, and Snowkit can," Hazeltail meowed sternly. "Echokit just opened her eyes. I don't think she's ready."

"Oh." Dapplekit looked apologetically at Echokit. "Sorry, Echokit." Then she and Silverkit and Snowkit rushed out of the den they were in, which Echokit thought was the nursery.

Echokit looked confusedly after them. The word _camp _still ran around in Echokit's head.

"Come on, Echokit," Hazeltail meowed softly. "I'll teach you everything you need to know before you meet the Clan."


	4. Chapter 2

Echokit trembled. She had learned everything Hazeltail had told her, from words to colors to cats. She had also learned her age, three quarter-moons. She felt much younger than three quarter-moons, but her mother had assured her she was three quarter-moons. Echokit had noticed, however, that every time she said that, something unreadable flashed in her eyes.

Now it was time for Echokit to meet the Clan.

Echokit took a few stumbling pawsteps out of the nursery. It had obviously just rained, because there water was dripping off of the dens and puddles had formed on the ground. Echokit padded unsteadily over to a puddle and looked down into it, trying to see what she looked like. She was a gray tabby, with pale blue eyes.

"You're out of the nursery!"

Echokit spun around and nearly lost her balance. It was Lionblaze, her father, who twitched his whiskers in amusement.

"Looks like you haven't got your legs under you yet," he meowed jokingly.

Echokit swatted at his paw. "You just wait," she hissed. "I'm gonna be the best warrior ever!"

Lionblaze licked her between the ears. "I'm sure you will," he mewed reassuringly.

Echokit tottered away, looking in awe at all the things around her. There was a light brown tabby tom who seemed to be Birchfall, Whitewing's mate, and Dovekit and Ivykit's father. Echokit liked Dovekit and Ivykit. They were about five moons old, almost ready to be apprentices, and they were Echokit's best friends.

A ginger she-cat walked past with a mouse in her jaws. That would be Squirrelflight, Firestar's daughter.

The smaller black-and-white tom should be Toadpaw, who was cleaning out the elders' den.

Echokit finally got control of her feet, so now she walked like any other kit. She strode into a den which she believed to be the warriors' den. Inside there were a few shapes of sleeping cats, but it was mostly empty now during the day.

After exploring the apprentices' den, the elders' den, and even the leader's den, the only place left to explore was the medicine cat's den. She had heard that the medicine cat was Lionblaze's brother, Jayfeather. She also heard a few mentions of their sister Hollyleaf, but what happened to Hollyleaf Echokit didn't know.

Echokit walked slowly into the medicine cat's den. There were rows upon rows of different herbs stacked in the clefts in the walls. Echokit saw a cat in the very back, mostly hidden by shadows, sorting herbs. That must be Jayfeather.

"Jayfeather?" Echokit asked nervously.

The cat jumped, then relaxed. "Oh, you're Lionblaze's kit, aren't you?" he meowed. After that, he muttered, "I could have sworn there was only going to be three..."

"Yeah, I'm Echokit," Echokit replied proudly. "I'm gonna be the best warrior ever!"

"Your brothers and sister were in here earlier," Jayfeather grumbled. "Messed up all my herbs. Now I have to sort them again."

Jayfeather stepped out into the light, and Echokit gasped. Jayfeather looked almost exactly like her! Well, it wasn't that surprising. Jayfeather was her uncle. Echokit noticed for the first time that there was another cat behind Jayfeather. The sunlight began to filter in, and Echokit could see her clearly. She looked like Jayfeather and Echokit, except her eyes were a darker blue. Cinderheart.

"Oh, Echokit!" Cinderheart exclaimed. "I'd been hoping I'd get to see you. I saw your siblings, but when I didn't see you, I got worried."

"I'm fine," Echokit meowed stubbornly.

"I can see that," Cinderheart mewed. She tried to get up, then fell back down.

"What's wrong?" Echokit inquired tentatively.

Jayfeather replied, "She got a wound from a battle. Lost a lot of blood, then wrenched her bad leg again."

"Oh," Echokit mewed. She had heard of how Cinderheart had once broken her back leg.

Jayfeather growled, "If you'd kindly leave us."

"Jayfeather." Cinderheart flicked her tail over his shoulder. "She's just a kit."

"The others were just kits too, and they destroyed most of my herbs," Jayfeather mumbled, but his voice had softened.

"Can I help?" Echokit intervened.

Jayfeather looked startled, but Cinderheart shot him a warning glance and meowed, "If you don't destroy anything."

Echokit padded to the back of the medicine cat's den. "What are these?" Echokit asked, gesturing toward the three piles of different herbs Jayfeather had laid out.

"This is borage." Jayfeather pointed to the first pile. "It's for fevers, and for queens to help their milk come." Jayfeather wrapped them up and stored them. He jerked his head toward the next pile. "Those are juniper berries. They help with belly aches and give you strength." Jayfeather then let Echokit put the berries in a neat arrangement, then he stored that too.

"What about the last one?" Echokit mewed.

"What last one?" Jayfeather turned his sightless eyes on her.

"The one that smells all funny." Echokit shoved some toward Jayfeather with her paw.

Jayfeather sniffed it, then looked confused. "That's parsley. But your siblings didn't get into that, so it shouldn't be out."

"What does it do?" Echokit meowed excitedly.

Jayfeather hesitated, as though he were remembering something, then meowed, "It stops queens' milk from coming. Like, if their kits die."

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Echokit padded back toward the nursery, still lost in thought. Jayfeather had taught her a lot, about yarrow and yew, watermint and catmint. There was so much to learn...but it was so interesting at the same time. And you got to speak with StarClan, and you healed your Clanmates...and you still got to fight anyway, if necessary. Being a medicine cat seemed like the coolest thing.

"Echokit!" Hazeltail meowed, sounding relieved. "You'd been gone for so long, that I thought you'd gotten lost."

Echokit shook her head. "No, I met Jayfeather, and he taught me herbs."

"That's wonderful!" Hazeltail licked her head.

"I wish I could be a medicine cat," Echokit meowed wistfully.

Hazeltail looked surprised, but then recovered quickly and mewed, "Well, you could. Jayfeather doesn't have an apprentice."

"He doesn't?" Echokit's heart leapt.

Hazeltail shook her head. "Nope, he's been the only medicine cat since..." She trailed off, then finished, "Well, he's the only medicine cat now. I'm sure he'd be grateful for the help."

"Great!" Echokit bounced in excitement. "I'm gonna go ask him now!"

"No, wait--" Hazeltail called after her, but Echokit was already bounding out of the nursery.


	5. Chapter 3

**Okay people, sorry I haven't said anything before this. This is my first fanfic, so I'm still getting used to things...anyhow, thanks to jokegirl for reviewing! And if you think there are too many cats in ThunderClan, don't worry, I'm going to kill off some people...anyway, this is one of my stories where Honeyfern is actually dead. Because in the future I'll probably be writing most of my stories with Honeyfern living. I MISS HER!!!!! Anyway, enjoy the story.**

Echokit tumbled into the medicine cat's den. "Jayfeather!" she meowed breathlessly.

Jayfeather slowly turned to look at her. "Weren't you just here?" he growled softly.

Echokit didn't waste any time. "I want to be your apprentice!" she mewed happily.

Jayfeather looked startled. "Well...okay," he meowed finally.

"Is that a bad thing?" Echokit asked, scared.

"Of course it's not," Cinderheart assured. "Jayfeather could really use an apprentice, couldn't you, Jayfeather?" Cinderheart shot him yet another warning glance. Echokit didn't know how it would help to look at him, because he couldn't see her, but he seemed to get the message.

"Yeah, an apprentice would help me," he muttered.

"Jayfeather?" Echokit gazed at him. "Why are you angry all the time?"

Jayfeather started, then swung his sightless eyes around to rest on her. "It's just who I am," he meowed suspiciously. "Now, if you're going to be my apprentice, you need to start learning some herbs, so when you do become an apprentice, you can be of more use to me faster."

"Okay!" Echokit gave an excited bounce. "Now, where are we going to start?"

"Here," Jayfeather meowed, and brought out an herb. "This is marigold. It stops infection."

Echokit studied the orange and yellow flowers, and inhaled deeply to memorize their scent. "Marigold. Okay."

Jayfeather pawed another set of herbs at her. "Poppy seeds. They help cats sleep and recover from shock. They're not good for nursing queens."

Cinderheart nodded knowingly.

Echokit learned of thyme and tansy until Hazeltail came looking for her.

"Echokit!" Hazeltail scolded. "I tried to tell you to stay in the nursery, but you just rushed out!"

"Sorry," Echokit meowed in a small voice.

Hazeltail acknowledged the other two cats. "Jayfeather. Cinderheart." Something flashed between Hazeltail and Cinderheart that Echokit couldn't understand.

"Hazeltail," Cinderheart meowed coolly.

"Hazeltail, Echokit wants to be a medicine cat," Jayfeather meowed.

"So I heard," Hazeltail mewed, but her voice was not cold.

"Jayfeather was teaching me about tansy," Echokit meowed excitedly. "It has round yellow flowers. It's really good for curing coughs, but it has to be taken in small doses."

"Wow," Hazeltail mewed, sounding impressed. "I think you've got a true medicine cat on your paws, Jayfeather."

_A true medicine cat. _Echokit liked the way that sounded.

"What will my medicine cat name be, Jayfeather?" Echokit asked wonderingly.

"I don't know," Jayfeather meowed, sounding irritated. "But most medicine cats don't have really tough names like Brambleclaw. It's all Jayfeather, Littlecloud, Willowshine, Mothwing..."

"Leafpool," Cinderheart murmured.

_Leafpool? _For some reason, the name sounded familiar to Echokit.

"There was Cinderpelt," Hazeltail cut in. "That wasn't a very medicine cat-like name. Like Mudfur. And Yellowfang was a pretty tough name. Spottedleaf was pretty, but Runningnose was just kind of mean."

"Like Berrynose," Cinderheart added.

Hazeltail _mrrowed _with laughter. "Yes, Berrynose is pretty funny. But don't tell him that. He thinks Berrynose is the toughest name ever."

"Who said my name?" came a call from across the camp.

Hazeltail looked over your shoulder. "I did, but it's none of your concern."

"Are you making fun of my name again?" A cream-colored warrior, Berrynose, padded over to the medicine cat's den.

"Maybe," Hazeltail hissed playfully.

Berrynose sighed. "You're a mother now. I thought mothers were supposed to be mature."

Hazeltail looked down. Echokit could see sadness glistening in her eyes, as she murmured so quietly that no one else could hear, "You were going to be a father. You weren't going to be any more mature than me. But since Honeyfern died, it seems like you're as old as Firestar."

Cinderheart and Jayfeather seemed to be thinking the same thing, but they didn't say anything.

Berrynose turned to Echokit. "So, you're Echokit, aren't you?" he meowed.

"Yes," Echokit replied. "I'm gonna be a medicine cat!"

"Well, good for you," Berrynose meowed approvingly. "At least you'll be the sensible one. Your siblings jumped me from behind the other day, ripped out a chunk of my fur. That Snowkit might've even given me a scar, and not a good one, because I can't say it's from a battle, I have to say a kit gave it to me!"

Hazeltail pricked her ears. "Berrynose, I think Firestar's calling you for a patrol."

"Oh, you're right." Berrynose groaned. "I was _just _on a hunting patrol..."

Berrynose left.

Hazeltail looked at Echokit. "It's time for you to be getting back to the nursery. It's nearly sundown."

"Can't I stay in the medicine cat's den?" Echokit begged. "I want to learn more!"

"I think you've learned enough for one day," Hazeltail meowed. "If you learn it all in one day, it'll all get jumbled up in your mind. Take it slow, one day at a time. You're only...three quarter moons old. You've still got more than five moons to learn it all."

"Hazeltail's right," Cinderheart added.

"Tell Ferncloud to come to my den," Jayfeather told Hazeltail. "She's still a little weak. It's hard to have four litters of kits."

"Okay," Echokit sighed. She looked at Jayfeather and Cinderheart. "Bye, Jayfeather, Cinderheart."

Cinderheart said goodbye, and Jayfeather grunted.

Echokit padded back to the nursery with Hazeltail by her side, her mind whirling with all she had learned.

She vowed, _I'm going to be the greatest medicine cat ever!_

**So, anyway, remember to R&R! That button right below here, the white with green text? PRESS IT. It will bring you peace and joy, knowing that you have brought happiness to an aspiring writer.**


	6. Chapter 4

**As always, read and review! I need good reviews to keep on writing...so enjoy the story and tell me what you think!**

Echokit looked around nervously. "Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Positive," Dapplekit meowed assuringly. "There's a badger around here, and we can search for it undetected, so the warriors can jump it without it knowing what happened."

"But we're only two moons!" Silverkit protested.

"We _should _be apprentices," Dapplekit argued. "Look at Dovepaw. We know nearly as much as her and _she _gets to be an apprentice!"

Dovekit and Ivykit had become Dovepaw and Ivypaw, and their mentors were Thornclaw and Lionblaze.

"Soon, Smokekit and Dewkit will be apprentices too," Dapplekit meowed angrily, referring to Ferncloud's two kits. "And _they _don't know _nearly _as much as us. I mean, look at us. I've got the fighting moves, Silverkit's the wise one, Snowkit's the clever one, and Echokit knows all the herbs and has got some of all of us put together."

Echokit couldn't believe that. She knew herbs, and she was pretty wise and clever for her age, but she couldn't believe she had any fighting skills. She was so much smaller than everyone else, even Goldenkit, Poppyfrost's kit who was pretty small for her age and just a little older than Echokit, was towering over her. Echokit didn't know why she was so small, but it made her feel weak as she stood next to Dapplekit, Snowkit, and Silverkit, who were probably each twice her size.

"Let's go," Dapplekit urged, and crept away. Snowkit followed her, and after some hesitaton, so did Silverkit. Echokit just stood there, having a premonition of something terrible.

"Come _on,_Echokit!" Dapplekit's call came from very far away, and Echokit scampered after her, only because she didn't know the way back to camp.

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"What stinks?" Snowkit asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"That must be the badger," Silverkit responded dryly.

"Come on, guys, let's check it out," Dapplekit meowed excitedly.

Dapplekit snuck off into the undergrowth.

"I knew she was rash, but not _this _rash," Silverkit mewed.

"What does rash mean?" Echokit asked.

"Brave and stupid," Snowkit replied.

"Ah."

The other three kits slowly crept after Dapplekit, looking for her dark tortoiseshell body among the ferns.

"What are you doing out here?"

The three kits spun around in fear.

"Jayfeather!" Echokit gasped.

"What are you doing out here?" Jayfeather repeated angrily. "Don't you know there's a badger out here?"

"That's why we're out here," Silverkit meowed. "Dapplekit convinced us all to come out here. She said we could sneak up on the badger, and then we could tell the warriors where it is."

A blood-curdling screech sounded through the trees.

"StarClan, no!" Jayfeather gasped, and pelted off through the trees. The three kits stumbled after him.

Finally, they caught up to Jayfeather, who was frozen in horror. Echokit didn't know how he could understand what was going on before him without seeing, but at this point Echokit felt he was lucky not to see. Dapplekit was lying, unmoving, on the ground, as a badger roared beside her, ready to slice open her belly.

"No!"

Echokit didn't know why she did it. She launched herself at the badger and clawed at it's face.

The badger roared and swatted her away with a paw. Echokit hit the ground, hard, and the world went black.

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Echokit awoke, gasping for air. Was it all just a dream? Then her vision focused, and she saw the ceiling of the medicine cat's den, and she knew it must have been real.

"Echokit, you're awake!" Echokit noticed Hazeltail, and Hazeltail rushed over to her and began licking her furiously.

"What happened?" Echokit mumbled groggily.

"You saved me."

Echokit saw Dapplekit in a mossy nest next to her. Dapplekit looked completely fine.

"Yes, Echokit, you saved Dapplekit." In came Jayfeather. "The badger was about to kill her, but you distracted it. It threw you off, and you became unconscious." Echokit was surprised to see Jayfeather starting to choke a little bit. How un-Jayfeather-like. "It came over to you, and...it sliced open your belly. You started bleeding really badly. Luckily, Thornclaw and his patrol came and drove the badger off. Dapplekit was fine, just unconscious, and you lived."

"How long has it been?" Echokit asked. She knew that sometimes cats could be knocked out for days.

"A half-moon."

_A half-moon?! Is Jayfeather crazy?! It couldn't have been a half-moon! _But all the other cats were nodding solemnly.

"How'd--how'd you know I was alive?" Echokit asked shakily.

Jayfeather scoffed at her, and it made her feel better that the old Jayfeather was back. "You were breathing, of course! If you want to become my apprentice, you have to know a cat's alive if it breathes!"

"Jayfeather!" Hazeltail scolded. "She just woke up! Show some kindness!"

Jayfeather muttered something ungraciously.

"Are Smokekit and Dewkit apprentices now?" Echokit asked.

Hazeltail nodded. "Yes, Smokepaw's mentor is Cloudtail, and Dewpaw's mentor is Berrynose."

_Berrynose! _Echokit couldn't help feeling sorry for Dewpaw.

"And Toadpaw and Rosepaw are now warriors. They are Toadspots and Roseleaf."

Echokit felt a pang of sadness. She and Toadspots had become pretty good friends, since Toadspots was her uncle. Speaking of that, Dovepaw and Ivypaw were Smokepaw and Dewpaw's nephew and niece, even though they were older. Echokit had never thought of that before.

"Where's Lionblaze?" Echokit croaked. "And Snowkit and Silverkit?"

Hazeltail's eyes shone with sadness. "Lionblaze went on a patrol to WindClan. While you were unconscious, there was a big battle. WindClan...they were trying to rid us of our kittypet blood. Firestar...wants to talk to Onestar about it. And..." Hazeltail choked up for a moment, then forced it down and meowed shakily, "Snowkit is sleeping. Silverkit is dead."

**Oh yeah, I went there. I killed Silverkit. I just wanted to do something exciting, and I wanted there to be three of them. BUT, what about Silverkit? Why is Silverkit still important? Tune in next week to find out! Okay, just keep reading. Silverkit's fate shall be revealed...meanwhile, review!**


	7. Chapter 5

**Thanks again, jokegirl, for reviewing. As to your question, remember what happened with Hollypaw's (Hollyleaf's) apprenticeship?**

Echokit started to tremble violently. "Silverkit is...dead?"

Hazeltail looked down. "Yes."

Jayfeather added, "Crowfeather killed him."

_CROWFEATHER! _The name roared in Echokit's head. _CROWFEATHER!_

_Crowfeather, you took away my brother. Crowfeather, you're a monster! Crowfeather, I will get my revenge._

"Silverkit died heroically, though," Hazeltail meowed softly, looking at Echokit. "He was protecting you."

_Protecting me? That makes it worse. Crowfeather. Crowfeather. I will get my revenge._

"You were still unconscious, and Silverkit had been visiting you and Dapplekit, when Crowfeather came in, and..."

Hazeltail broke off, so Jayfeather continued, "I wasn't there. But Dapplekit told me that Crowfeather came in and was about to kill you, when Silverkit attacked him. Silverkit fought bravely, like any warrior. But of course, Crowfeather is a trained, experienced, senior warrior, so you could guess the outcome. He slashed open Silverkit's throat, and hissed, 'That's what your Clan deserves, Leafpool.'"

Hazeltail's eyes grew wide, and she shook her head at Jayfeather. Again, Echokit wondered why, because he couldn't see, but Jayfeather obviously realized his mistake, because he meowed, "Oh, fox dung."

"Who's Leafpool?" Echokit meowed shakily.

Jayfeather looked at Hazeltail. "They have a right to know why Crowfeather killed Silverkit," he told her.

"You're right," Hazeltail responded dully.

Jayfeather took a deep breath, then meowed, "Leafpool was ThunderClan's medicine cat before me. She...had kits with Crowfeather. I am one of those kits. Lionblaze is the other. Hollyleaf was the last. Crowfeather didn't know, so when Hollyleaf revealed it to all the Clans at a Gathering, he denied it, and got angry at Leafpool. Leafpool then said that she didn't deny having her kits, and that she was proud of us, and then she left."

"Who was Hollyleaf?" Echokit asked, feeling one of her usual sparks of curiosity.

"My sister. She went crazy before she died because she found out she was the kit of a medicine cat and a WindClan warrior. She was really uptight about the warrior code. She was born against it, and then, all of the secrets came out at the Gathering because she told everyone. Then she..." Jayfeather broke off, but with a nod from Hazeltail, continued, "she tried to kill Leafpool by forcing her to eat deathberries. But Leafpool said no, it was harder for her to keep on living than to die. So Hollyleaf let her go, and Leafpool disappeared. Then Hollyleaf ran to a network of tunnels on ThunderClan territory that only me, Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and some WindClan cats knew about. The tunnels collapsed on her, and she died."

"She sounds like a terrible cat," Echokit murmured, her mind reeling.

"No, no, she wasn't." Jayfeather looked off into nothing. "She was just upset, and she did things that she probably regrets now, wherever she is."

Echokit noticed he didn't say _in StarClan._

Hazeltail shook herself. "Come on, Echokit, Dapplekit. Let's go wake Snowkit, and then we can sit vigil for Silverkit. Snowkit doesn't know about this yet. If you can believe it, he slept through the whole battle."

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"Echokit! You're awake!" Snowkit greeted. "Hi, Dapplekit, and Hazeltail! What's going on?"

Hazeltail gently told him of the battle.

Snowkit's eyes widened. "Oh, StarClan," he breathed. He looked up at Hazeltail with a look of sad understanding. "Where's Silverkit?" he asked, his voice rising.

It pained Echokit to see him this way, because Snowkit and Silverkit had been closer than most brothers.

"Silverkit is dead," Hazeltail meowed, bowing her head in despair.

"No!" Snowkit yowled. "He can't be dead!" He looked wildly at Hazeltail, to Dapplekit, to Echokit. "He can't be dead. This is a dream. I'm still sleeping, there was no battle, you're all lying!"

"I thought you would understand," Hazeltail meowed.

"No!" Snowkit caterwauled. "You're all lying!" Snowkit raced out of the nursery.

"Snowkit!" Hazeltail yowled desperately. "Snowkit, no, please!"

But it was too late. Snowkit was racing out of the camp.

Hazeltail ran out into the middle of the camp. "Please, help!" she wailed. "Snowkit has run away!"

Immediately Graystripe, who had been left in charge of the camp, gathered up Sandstorm, Cloudtail, and Foxpelt, and the four cats raced out of the camp.

"We need to go too," Dapplekit meowed quietly. "He's our brother. We need to go."

Echokit nodded, thinking of Silverkit calling Dapplekit rash. That was the last thing he had said directed to her. But now, Echokit couldn't think of Dapplekit as rash. She could only think of Dapplekit, this time, being right.

Quickly, quietly, slyly, the two she-kits slipped out of the camp in search of their brother.

**Okay, remember, read and review! Review, please! I need reviews to keep going, otherwise I'll lose hope because no one reviews! Okay, I wouldn't lose hope, but still...review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	8. Chapter 6

**Thanks to Featheredwing for reviewing! Also, I have a favor to ask. DO NOT REVIEW. Don't ask why. I like reviews, but there's a reason...so DON'T REVIEW. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE WORDS ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

"That way." Dapplekit pointed to the left with her tail.

Echokit scented the air. "You're right."

The two she-kits crashed through the bracken.

Echokit scented again, and this time a peculiar scent reached her. "What is that?" Echokit asked curiously, though she was unsure if Dapplekit would be able to answer.

Dapplekit was. "It's the lake, I'm pretty sure," she meowed matter-of-factly. "Bumblepaw came back all soaking wet, and he said he fell in the lake, and also I recognize it from water from moss when they bring it back, and it smells different from puddles, and I recognize that smell on the breeze."

"Okay" was all Echokit mewed.

They followed Snowkit's scent until they could see the glistening expanse of water stretched before them.

"Wow," Dapplekit breathed.

"Snowkit!" Echokit yowled. She had seen Snowkit's small white form by the side of the lake. She rushed up beside him, and Dapplekit followed.

"Snowkit, we were worried," Dapplekit meowed.

"Silverkit...I can't believe he's gone..." Snowkit murmured.

"He's not gone forever," Echokit meowed, rubbing up against Snowkit comfortingly.

"He's in StarClan," Dapplekit added helpfully.

"Yeah, you're right." Snowkit stood up. "Life goes on. We're going to be warriors, or in Echokit's case a medicine cat, and warriors have jobs to do. They can't spend all their time grieving. We have to sit vigil, and then move on."

"Yeah." Echokit's throat tightened painfully at the thought of saying goodbye to Silverkit until StarClan, but she knew as a medicine cat, she was going to be seeing a lot of death, and she was going to be the one trying to prevent it.

"Let's head back," Snowkit meowed, and turned and padded away.

"Come on, Echokit." Dapplekit nudged her to her feet. "We've got to sit vigil."

"Actually, I think I'm going to sleep," Echokit mewed suddenly. Dapplekit looked at her, looking hurt, and so Echokit meowed quickly, "I would sit vigil. But I think I might see Silverkit in a dream."

Dapplekit nodded resolutely, and the two she-kits followed their scent trail back to camp, side by side.

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Echokit awoke in a starry forest. "Silverkit?" she called out, not wasting any time.

"Silverkit is not here," a smooth voice meowed.

Echokit's heart dropped painfully. "You mean he's in the dark forest?" she meowed, with a voice filled with dread.

The voice _mrrowed _with gentle laughter. "No," it meowed. "He has just joined StarClan, and he must finish being welcomed before he can walk in dreams."

"Oh, so he is here?" Echokit meowed with relief.

"Not many kits do deeds so terrible that they get sent to the dark forest," the voice meowed reassuringly. The owner shimmered into view. It was a dark tortoiseshell with amber eyes, not unlike Dapplekit.

"I am Spottedleaf," the cat meowed kindly.

"Spottedleaf!" Echokit exclaimed. "You were a great medicine cat."

"Thank you." Spottedleaf's eyes glimmered with sadness. "Though I wish that was not what I had been."

"Why?" Echokit meowed incredulously. She couldn't think of anything better than being a medicine cat.

"I was in love with Firestar," Spottedleaf sighed.

Echokit looked at her in fascination. "Wow, medicine cats aren't allowed to do that."

"Yes, I know," Spottedleaf meowed, and Echokit was relieved to hear her voice tinged with amusement. "Not many medicine cats are faithful."

"Like Leafpool," Echokit put in.

Spottedleaf's gaze clouded. "Yes, like Leafpool. Ever since me, not one of our medicine cats has been truly faithful. Me, in love with Firestar. Yellowfang, who had kits with Raggedstar."

"Yellowfang had kits with Raggedstar?" Echokit interrupted.

"Yes," Spottedleaf replied. "Brokenstar was her only surviving one."

"Brokenstar! Wasn't he evil?"

"Very. Anyway, after Yellowfang there was Cinderpelt, also in love with Firestar."

"Everyone sure loves Firestar," Echokit mused, thinking of how many she-cats were in love with her great-grandfather.

"He was a very likeable cat," Spottedleaf _mrrowed. _"Cinderpelt kept her feelings in check, though. Barely let them show. Then after Cinderpelt was Leafpool, and you know her story. Then there's Jayfeather--"

"Who did nothing," Echokit broke in.

Spottedleaf looked confused for a moment, then her face cleared and she meowed, "Oh, of course he didn't. All the others with forbidden feelings confuse you, and then you can't get straight who remained true to their calling." Then Spottedleaf looked sharply at Echokit. "You must remain true to your calling."

"Which means I can't fall in love," Echokit meowed. "Yeah, I'll try my best to be a faithful medicine cat."

"No."

"What?"

"That is not your calling."

"What do you mean?"

"Echokit," Spottedleaf sighed exasperatedly, "You're not meant to be a medicine cat."

"But, I want to be," Echokit protested.

"It is not your destiny," Spottedleaf insisted. "Your destiny is greater than you could imagine. Greater than being a medicine cat."

"No," Echokit meowed, panicked, "I won't listen!"

"Echokit, you _must _listen," Spottedleaf urged. _"They see four, but it is three and one. The one shall rise...then fade like an echo."_

"Stop it!" Echokit cried. "You're lying!"

"Echokit, no!" Now it was Spottedleaf who sounded panicked. The starry forest and Spottedleaf started to swirl, and blur. "Echokit, stop! You're blocking me out! You have to--"

Echokit didn't hear any more, because she jolted awake and saw the familiar brambles of the nursery.

**Ya like? Tell me telepathically. REMEMBER: DO NOT REVIEW. But thanks for all your kind thoughts.**


	9. Chapter 7

**Still don't review. But check out my other story, Into ShadowClan. It's about Tawnypelt when she goes to ShadowClan. It's a little weird, but...it's still cool!**

Echokit stood taller when her name was mentioned. "Echokit, please step forward."

Echokit took a tentative step so she stood next to Firestar. She looked to Snowpaw and Dapplepaw for encouragement, and they both nodded eagerly.

"Echokit, from this moment forth you will be known as Echopaw. It has been decided that you will follow the great path as a medicine cat, so Jayfeather shall be your mentor."

Echopaw touched noses with Jayfeather excitedly.

"Tonight's the night of the half-moon," Jayfeather murmured. "Think you're up for it?"

Echopaw's heart started to pound excitedly. The half moon was when all medicine cats went to the Moonpool to dream of StarClan. Since her dream of Spottedleaf, Echopaw hadn't had any dreams of StarClan, and she desperately wanted to see if Silverpaw--no, he'd be Silverkit. He _died. _He would never earn his warrior name.

Or so Echopaw thought.

Firestar looked to the sky. "Sadly, Silverkit died before he could reach this day. I want the Clan to remember him, for he did what no kit usually does, only the bravest and rashest."

Rash! That was a word for Dapplepaw. Never Silverkit.

"Silverkit took on a full-grown warrior to protect his sister from harm." Firestar paused. "I would never have had the courage to do anything like that, even if I was a Clanborn kit. He was as great as any warrior. And this is why, now, I want StarClan to hear me."

Echopaw felt like she was going to faint. Would he...he wouldn't...really?

"Silverkit died protecting his Clan from harm. He was like a warrior, and that is why I would like to honor him with a warrior name."

Murmurs started to spread throughout the Clan. This had never been done before, to have a dead cat earn a warrior name, and a _kit _at that.

"Silverkit's warrior name is now Silverfire, because of me. I would like some of his courageousness to come down upon me." Firestar bowed his head. "StarClan hear me, and approve of my decision." Now Firestar looked at the congregation of whispering cats. "Now, he will be remembered as Silverfire. By _all of us._"

The Clan was silent.

Then Hazeltail began the chant. "Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw!"

Lionblaze and Cinderheart joined in. "Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw!"

Firestar, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, Dewpaw, Smokepaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw. "Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw!"

Birchfall, Mousewhisker, and all of the queens. "Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw!"

Soon the whole Clan was chanting. "Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw! Silverfire! Dapplepaw! Snowpaw! Echopaw!"

Echopaw felt joy course through her veins. Silverkit--no, Silverpaw,--no, Silver_fire, _had earned his warrior name, just as he had deserved.

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**Okay, I think I should bring you up-to-date on the status of ThunderClan, since four moons have passed since my last chapter. Who cares about the other Clans. We'll find that out later.  
**

**Leader-Firestar**

**Deputy-Brambleclaw**

**Medicine Cat-Jayfeather**

**Apprentice, Echopaw**

**Warriors- Squirrelflight**

**Apprentice, Eaglepaw  
**

**Dustpelt**

**Apprentice, Dapplepaw  
**

**Sandstorm**

**Apprentice, Briarpaw**

**Cloudtail**

**Apprentice, Smokepaw  
**

**Brackenfur**

**Apprentice, Snowpaw  
**

**Sorreltail**

**Thornclaw**

**Apprentice, Dovepaw  
**

**Brightheart**

**Birchfall**

**Apprentice, Goldenpaw  
**

**Graystripe**

**Berrynose**

**Apprentice, Dewpaw  
**

**Mousewhisker**

**Apprentice, Blossompaw**

**Cinderheart**

**Apprentice, Bumblepaw**

**Lionblaze**

**Apprentice, Ivypaw  
**

**Foxpelt**

**Icestorm**

**Toadspots**

**Roseleaf**

**Millie**

**Whitewing**

**Poppyfrost**

**Apprentice, Fogpaw  
**

**Queens- Ferncloud**

**Daisy**

**Hazeltail**

**Elders- Longtail**

**Okay, there we go. I felt like being ironic, so I made Snowpaw Brackenfur's apprentice...anyway, DON'T REVIEW STILL.  
**


	10. Chapter 8

Echopaw padded with Jayfeather to the edge of ThunderClan territory. Echopaw felt her heart start to quicken with anticipation. "Who are the other medicine cats again?" she asked nervously.

Jayfeather sighed. "Us for ThunderClan."

"I know that!" Echopaw scoffed.

Jayfeather shot her an angry glare. "Do you want to listen or not?"

"Yes, Jayfeather," Echopaw mumbled.

"Okay." Jayfeather looked straight ahead. "Us for ThunderClan. Littlecloud and Flamepaw for ShadowClan. Kestrelwing for WindClan, and Mothwing and…"

Jayfeather faltered, so Echopaw put in, "Willowshine, right?"

Jayfeather seemed to shake himself. "Yes. Willowshine."

Echopaw could sense that he didn't feel…right about Willowshine for some reason. So she dropped the subject and continued forward at Jayfeather's flank.

"Jayfeather!" a voice called out.

Echopaw saw Jayfeather close his eyes for a moment; then he responded, "Hello, Kestrelwing."

A light brown tom scurried up beside Jayfeather. He smelled strongly of WindClan. "Hi, Jayfeather," he meowed breathlessly. "I can't believe I'm actually going by myself. It feels so wrong to be going without Barkface, though I know I might meet him in StarClan."

_I hope I meet Silverfire_, Echopaw thought.

"Come on, Echopaw," Jayfeather growled, and he started to stalk away, Kestrelwing still chattering behind him. _Great StarClan, can this cat talk! _Echopaw thought as she padded behind Kestrelwing.

"Wait!" came a new voice.

"Littlecloud," Jayfeather and Kestrelwing meowed simultaneously.

"And Flamepaw," a ginger tom piped up.

"Hi, Flamepaw," Echopaw meowed, bounding over to him.

Flamepaw looked puzzled. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Echopaw," Echopaw introduced. "I'm Lionblaze's daughter."

"Lionblaze!" Flamepaw exclaimed. "How is he? Tigerheart's always asking about him. Don't know why."

"Lionblaze is fine," Echopaw replied.

"And, oh, hi, Jayfeather," Flamepaw meowed, looking up at Jayfeather with admiration in his eyes. When he looked at Jayfeather, though, his gaze turned confused, and he looked back and forth from Jayfeather to Echopaw. Echopaw knew what was coming.

"You two look exactly alike!" Flamepaw exclaimed.

"Do we?" Jayfeather meowed drily, and Echopaw realized that he wouldn't know what she looked like. That made Echopaw think--how did Jayfeather know colors if he never saw colors? She had never pondered that before.

The five cats continued on their way to the Moonpool.

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Echopaw picked her way out of the thistles and looked over the rise. Below, there was a large pool of water. It sparkled in the moonlight and reflected the stars. Echopaw thought she had never seen anything more beautiful in her short life. A waterfall gently plashed in the far corner.

Flamepaw came up next to her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he meowed dreamily. He looked at Echopaw, his blue eyes sparking with wonder. "Even after I've seen it for this many moons, I'm still in awe."

Echopaw was silent, still staring at the scene before her. She didn't notice the other medicine cats going down to the side of the pool until Flamepaw gently laid his tail across her back and guided her down. Her paws slipped into the ancient paw prints of cats before her.

"Wait for us!"

A golden she-cat and a gray tabby she-cat flew over the side of the ridge and down to the side of the Moonpool. "Sorry," the golden she-cat panted. "Otterheart's kits got into a thorn bush, and it took forever to pick out all the thorns from them, especially since they kept squealing and squirming around."

"It's fine," Littlecloud meowed firmly. "I would have waited for you, anyway, because I have a special ceremony to perform."

"What?" Flamepaw meowed excitedly. "Do you mean...?"

"Yes," Littlecloud meowed warmly. "It is time for you to receive your full medicine cat name."

Echopaw would feel guilty about it later, but she paid no attention to Flamepaw's medicine cat ceremony. She was too busy looking at the gray tabby she-cat, Willowshine. Willowshine looked like Jayfeather, except with darker blue eyes, but still not as dark as Cinderheart's. Willowshine kept looking at Jayfeather, trying to get his attention, but Jayfeather stared straight ahead, only moving to congratulate Flamepaw. Willowshine started to look desperate, openly nudging Jayfeather, but Jayfeather just hissed at her, and turned to the Moonpool.

"Come on, Echopaw, it's time to speak with StarClan." Flamepaw, or whatever his name was now, looked excited. "This will be my first speak with StarClan as a full medicine cat!"

"Okay, Flamepaw," Echopaw meowed absentmindedly. Then, realizing her mistake, she meowed, "I mean, um, Flame--"

"Flameheart," Flameheart corrected kindly. "Don't worry, it'll take me a little while to get used to it, too."

Echopaw laid down at the side of the Moonpool. She lapped up a few drops of icy cold liquid, and then she fell into a deep sleep.

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"Echopaw!"

Echopaw opened her eyes to see the starry forest of StarClan. In front of her, there was Spottedleaf.

"See? I'm a medicine cat apprentice!" Echopaw hissed, her hackles raising. "And I'm proud of it!"

Spottedleaf sighed. "Okay, Echopaw, fine. You're a medicine cat's apprentice. But that's exactly why I'm here."

"You can't stop me from becoming a medicine cat!" Echopaw growled, unsheathing her claws. She knew she wouldn't actually attack the StarClan cat, but she was just so irritated that she couldn't help but try to look threatening.

"No, I don't mean that," Spottedleaf hissed. Then she paused, and added thoughtfully, "Though it would be good if you added that to this lecture."

"Get on with it."

"Oh, all right. Since you're a medicine cat apprentice, you need to keep your feelings in order."

"_What?_" Echopaw spluttered. "You think I'm going to fall in love?"

"I don't think, I know," Spottedleaf retorted softly. "It's just the curse of us ThunderClan medicine cats. And besides, I can see into the future."

"When will I become a medicine cat?" Echopaw asked hotly.

"Never, I hope."

"Then you can't see into the future, because I _will!_"

"Echopaw, just listen to me. You have to be careful where your affections fall. I know I can't stop you from having feelings, but you have to keep them in check. Please, Echopaw, please."

"Who will I fall in love with?" Echopaw mewed angrily.

"Well," Spottedleaf replied despondently, "I can't tell you that. All I can say is that he's closer than you think."

"Do you mean Flameheart?" Echopaw asked suspiciously.

Spottedleaf flicked her ears and muttered, "Oh, no. I'm always too conspicuous."

"FLAMEHEART!" Echopaw became enraged. "I will NOT fall in love with another cat, especially not one from another Clan, ESPECIALLY not another MEDICINE cat from another Clan!"

"Oh, Echopaw, you're so foolish sometimes," Spottedleaf meowed sadly. "Now, I'll let you visit your brother, Silverkit."

"His name is Silverfire." Echopaw spoke so venemously that she could almost hear the poison dripping off her words.

"He died as Silverkit. StarClan knows him as Silverkit." Spottedleaf shrugged. "I may be able to take it up with Thunderstar and such. We'll have to see. But for now, he's Silverkit."

Mist curled out of nowhere around Spottedleaf, and she vanished. In her place was a familiar sleek silver shape.

"Silverfire!" Echopaw cried joyously.

"Silverfire?" Silverkit asked. "Who's he?"

"That's you," Echopaw meowed, her happiness deflating. "Don't you know that?"

Silverkit shrugged. "I died a kit. I'll never become a warrior."

"But...Silverfire--or, Silverkit--...don't you want to be a warrior?" Echopaw sounded desperate now.

Silverkit shrugged again. "I guess so. But I can't. StarClan is just a place of eternally staying the same."

"Well, to me you're Silverfire," Echopaw mewed vehemently. "Firestar gave you a warrior name, and you deserve it."

Silverkit shrugged a third time. "Okay, I guess I'm Silverfire."

Echopaw studied Silverkit closely now. "Silverkit...you're not acting like yourself."

Silverkit shrugged a fourth time. "I thought I was Silverfire."

Echopaw stumbled backward. "You're...you're not Silverkit!" she gasped.

Silverkit's blue eyes turned a hard shade of amber. "What makes you think that?" he asked, his voice dripping with false sweetness.

"S-Spottedleaf!" Echopaw yowled, terrified. She kept stumbling back, and Silverkit advanced on her, his eyes filled with fake love.

"What's happening?" Echopaw cried. "Spottedleaf! StarClan! HELP!"

StarClan's forest before her started to swirl. It was soon replaced by a forest. A forest so dark. There were no stars, and the only light came from glowing green fungus.

Suddenly, a chilling voice said her name. "Echopaw."

**Oooh, cliffie! Anyway, I didn't know what color Flamepaw's eyes were, so I just made them blue. Anyway, still don't review.**


	11. Chapter 9

**Still don't review...anyway, here we GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

"Echopaw."

The voice said her name again.

Echopaw spun around quickly, and lost her balance.

"Echopaw."

"Stop--stop it!" Echopaw stammered. "Go away!"

"Do you want me to?"

A cat stepped out into the light. It was a dark brown tabby tom, with the same cruel amber eyes that Silverkit's blue ones had changed into. He looked exactly like Brambleclaw, except for the eyes. Brambleclaw's were soft and kind. This cat's were hard and...evil.

"Are you...are you Tigerstar?" Echopaw whispered.

Tigerstar cocked his head. "Maybe."

"Yes, you are." Echopaw's voice quavered.

Tigerstar's evil eyes twirled with cunning. "Yes, I am. I have a little friend for you to meet."

An all-too-familiar form melted out of the shadows.

"Flameheart?" Echopaw's voice was even shakier now. "Flameheart, why are you here?"

"Because." Flameheart's blue eyes were like ice. "Tigerstar summoned me. And when Tigerstar summons, no one dares to disobey."

"Flameheart..." Echopaw stood in disbelief. "Flameheart, this isn't you." Echopaw looked straight into his eyes. She tried to go as deep as she could. There. She could see past his mask of submission. He was still fully conscious of himself, and he was trying to urge Echopaw to escape.

"Flameheart has been meeting with me almost every night now," Tigerstar meowed proudly. "Only Flameheart has the courage. Dawnlight defied me, just like her mother, Tawnypelt. And Tigerheart has set up a barrier around his mind, and he blocks me out. And of course, there were my fake grandkits. Lionblaze has shut me out also, Jayfeather I didn't bother with. He's blind, he can't take over the Clans. And then there was Hollyleaf." At this, a look of triumph entered Tigerstar's eyes. "Yes, Hollyleaf. Other than Hawkfrost, she has been my greatest success. And she didn't even meet with me in dreams. I worked my way into her mind. I controlled her. I made her kill Ashfur. I was afraid that if the secret got out, she would be shunned. But then I realized how the secret could work to my advantage. It would destroy Squirrelflight and Leafpool, the wretched daughters of Firestar. That, in turn, would destroy Firestar. So I made Hollyleaf tell all the Clans the secret. Then I tried to kill Leafpool, but I let her go when I saw the torture she was in." At this, Tigerstar's gaze hardened even more, and he meowed angrily, "But Hollyleaf retaliated. She realized the wrong she did, and she broke free of me. But she knew she wouldn't be able to do it for long. So she killed herself. And now, Flameheart must be my heir."

Echopaw was just stunned. All she could think of to say was, "You sure talk a lot, don't you?"

Tigerstar shook his head. "That doesn't matter. But Echopaw, join me. You can join me, and you can rule over the Clans."

"I don't want to rule the Clans," Echopaw meowed strongly. "I just want to heal them."

Tigerstar smirked. "Fine. Have it your way. But I'll have you know that I have already taken your sister, Dapplepaw, and I've nearly got your brother Snowpaw. And Silverkit joined me long ago. After he died, he gave up StarClan to join me. StarClan took him away from life before he could become a warrior, which was the only thing he ever wanted." Tigerstar paused, and mischief danced in his eyes. "Because he knew the secret."

"Secret?" Echopaw was curious now. "What secret?"

"You shall know..." Tigerstar and Flameheart started to fade. "You shall know..."

"How will I know?" Echopaw begged. "Tell me!"

"You shall know...if you join me."

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Echopaw awoke at the side of the Moonpool. Mothwing was shaking her. "Echopaw!" she hissed.

"W-what?" Echopaw meowed groggily.

"Echopaw." Mothwing looked relieved. Then her gaze turned serious. "You weren't dreaming of StarClan, were you." It wasn't a question.

"No," Echopaw mewed, almost inaudibly.

"You were screeching so loudly that if the others hadn't been in StarClan-induced sleeps, they would have woken easily. I wouldn't be surprised if even WindClan heard you."

"Sorry," Echopaw whispered.

Mothwing shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"Wait..." Echopaw just realized. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Mothwing looked embarrassed. "Well, I'll tell you a secret. But you have to swear not to tell anyone. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Okay...well, I don't believe in StarClan."

Echopaw gaped at her. "What? How can you be a medicine cat and not believe in StarClan?"

"Apparently, StarClan don't think it's too bad, because they told Leafpool I could still be a medicine cat. Well, Leafpool's opinion is good enough for me."

"But Leafpool...she broke the warrior code," Echopaw stuttered.

Mothwing's look turned hard. "Yes, she did. But she did it for love. Is love a bad thing?"

Soon the other medicine cats woke, and they all split up. As Echopaw padded back to the ThunderClan camp beside Jayfeather, the words still rang in her head.

_Is love a bad thing?_

**Yep...still don't review.**


	12. Chapter 10

**Okay, you all can review now. Anyway, Thunder-Rose-74, I hope you read this. I just joined, so I really don't know how to PM people...someone tell me how to do that in a review. But anyway, you're allowed to use Dapplekit. It's just coincidence, and I'm not the kind of person who accuses coincidences as copying. So, you can use Dapplekit as the daughter of Lionblaze and Hazeltail, too. I don't care. I'll look forward to reading that! Anyway, here's Chapter 10!**

"...Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Bumblepaw, from this moment you shall be known as Bumblefoot. StarClan honors your courage and your boldness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Briarpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Briarthorn. StarClan honors your loyalty and your bravery to do what is right, and we welcome you as a full warrior or ThunderClan. Blossompaw, from this moment you shall be known as Blossomflower. StarClan honors your cleverness and wittiness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Bumblefoot! Briarthorn! Blossomflower!"

Echopaw watched the ceremony from the medicine cat's den next to Jayfeather. For the first time, she felt a pang of longing. It seemed so awesome to get your warrior name...but Flameheart's medicine cat ceremony was cool, too. It was almost the half-moon again. Maybe she'd get her full medicine cat name.

"Jayfeather?" Echopaw asked.

Jayfeather turned slowly towards her. "What?"

"Will I get my medicine cat name at the half moon?"

Jayfeather _mrrowed _softly. "You've only been an apprentice for...how long was it?"

"Two moons." Echopaw felt slightly irritable that Jayfeather didn't remember.

"Right. Two moons. I waited a lot longer than that to get my name. Warriors get their name in usually over six moons, too. And it takes medicine cats longer to get theirs."

"Why?" Echopaw asserted.

"Because we have a lot more to learn."

Echopaw pondered this. It did seem a lot harder to learn all the herbs and their uses than to learn all the fighting moves. But really, was it?

"Come on, Echopaw. Get some borage, and give it to Roseleaf. She might be coming down with a fever."

"Right." Echopaw grabbed the borage and headed out of the den. She couldn't find Roseleaf out by the Highledge, where the new warriors were being congratulated, so she looked in all the dens. She couldn't find Roseleaf there either, so she dropped the borage and tried to find her scent. It lead out of camp. Echopaw gathered her herbs and walked briskly out of the camp. The scent lead toward the ShadowClan border. Echopaw was halfway there when a yowl split through the trees. It was Roseleaf.

"Roseleaf!" Echopaw cried, and forgetting to drop the borage, she raced through the undergrowth, dodging trees and brambles. The ShadowClan border drew nearer and nearer, until Echopaw stopped, panting, looking at Roseleaf with the ShadowClan warrior, Toadfoot.

Roseleaf was on the ground, yowling loudly as spasms racked her body. Toadfoot looked up desperately, and seeing Echopaw, he gasped, "You're ThunderClan's medicine cat, right? Help her!"

Echopaw, in shock, dropped the borage, and darted forward. She pressed her paw against Roseleaf's distended belly. She felt three heartbeats.

"They're your kits, aren't they?" Echopaw meowed dully, and Toadfoot nodded.

Echopaw went around so she was in Roseleaf's line of vision. Roseleaf's eyes were glazing over, and yet Echopaw felt an icy calm. She knew what to do.

"Okay, Roseleaf, you have three kits." Roseleaf nodded, too tired to even yowl any more. "When the next spasms come, I need you to push."

"Now?" Roseleaf gasped breathlessly.

"Save your breath." Echopaw flicked her tail. She watched Roseleaf closely, until spasms began rippling. "Now!"

Roseleaf yowled again, this time with so much agony that Echopaw felt that her heart might break. "Come on, Roseleaf!" Echopaw encouraged. Roseleaf's eyes continued glazing over, but this time, Echopaw knew it was not just with pain. Roseleaf was dying.

Now panic crept into Echopaw. She tried to force it down. "Okay. Um..." Echopaw hooked a pawful of berries next to her. "Eat these juniper berries, they can help make you stronger."

Roseleaf was too weak to eat, so Echopaw shoved them into her throat and stroked it so that she would swallow. Spasms were coming faster and harder now, and Roseleaf was crying out in pain.

"Eat the borage, too." Echopaw forced that down Roseleaf too. The spasms were now coming so hard that Roseleaf was screeching at the top of her lungs. That's when the blood started pouring.

"Echopaw!" Toadfoot yowled. "Echopaw, she's bleeding!"

"Oh, great StarClan," Echopaw meowed desperately. "Toadfoot, get me cobwebs!"

Toadfoot leapt to his paws and started racing around for cobwebs.

Echopaw crouched down next to Roseleaf, who was so tired that she couldn't even screech any more. "Roseleaf," she meowed gently. "I need you to push."

A slimy wet bundle fell to the ground.

Echopaw didn't realize what she did next, but soon the little scrap was crying for milk. Echopaw could tell that it was small, too small for a healthy kit.

The spasms subsided for a moment, and Roseleaf, who had gone still, began gasping for air. "Echopaw..." she managed. Blood was pooling around her now.

"Don't speak!" Echopaw warned. "You might make it worse!" Echopaw tried to sound calm, but this was too familiar. She had heard the stories of Silverstream. Suddenly, there was a call.

"Roseleaf? Firestar wants you for patrol."

This was worse than Echopaw could imagine. It was Graystripe.

"Graystripe, no!" Echopaw begged, though she knew that would only make Graystripe more curious.

"No, what? What's going on--oh, great StarClan." Graystripe froze in horror as he saw the exact situation that his former mate had been in before she died.

Toadfoot came racing back, cobwebs all over his paws. Echopaw began pressing them to Roseleaf, trying to stop the bleeding, but they soaked through with blood.

The spasms started again, and Roseleaf's breathing became shallower and shallower. Echopaw cursed herself. She should have realized that Roseleaf was expecting kits before this! She was a medicine cat, for StarClan's sake! Roseleaf could have kept the father's identity a secret, it didn't matter.

"Roseleaf, no!" Toadfoot was pressing up against his mate's side, ignoring the blood that soaked his fur. "Roseleaf, I need you. The kits need you! You can't die!"

Graystripe came over to Roseleaf and stared down at her sadly. "Silverstream...no..." he murmured.

Echopaw could tell now that Roseleaf would not live. She had tried so hard, but she had failed. But she could at least save the kits. The spasms were coming really hard now, and Roseleaf was making pathetic sounds to show that she was in pain.

"Roseleaf," Echopaw murmured. "Push."

Another bundle fell onto the ground, and before Echopaw could do anything, Graystripe was taking care of it. He put it next to the other kit. They were both squirming around in their mother's blood helplessly, looking for milk.

The spasms subsided again. Roseleaf hung on to life with the smallest breath. Echopaw put her paw to Roseleaf's belly again. She could feel one more heartbeat. She put her paw to where Roseleaf's heart was, but she could only feel the tiniest beat. Roseleaf was almost gone.

This time, the spasms came harder and faster than before. Roseleaf found the energy to screech in pain again, louder and harder than before.

"Roseleaf, come on!" Echopaw yowled above her. "You can do it!"

Roseleaf screeched and screeched and screeched. Echopaw could feel her heart fading. But still Roseleaf screeched. Echopaw didn't know how she could hang on for so long. Her blood was all over the ground. It had been sunrise when it started. Sunhigh passed. Then sunset. Roseleaf was still screeching. Most of ThunderClan and ShadowClan had gathered by now. Daisy and Toadspots were in terrible distress.

Finally, as the moon rose, the last of Roseleaf's blood pooled around her, and after some final vicious spasms, Roseleaf died. A final bundle fell to the ground.

"Roseleaf..." Echopaw murmured. "Roseleaf...I let you die."

**Awww...so sad! I didn't mean to be so cruel...it just happened. I wanted some excitement to happen. I was actually going to make Roseleaf's mate Bumblefoot, but then I decided...oh well. Anyway, as I said before, you can review. In your reviews, give me some suggestions for two tom-kit names. The third kit is a she-kit named Rosekit, of course. So, two guy names would be nice. But in your reviews, don't mention like how much blood there was and stuff...just say if you liked it or not, and then put your kit names. I really don't want reminders of how terrible I was.**


	13. Chapter 11

**Oh my goodness. Last chapter was weird...anyway, you can review now! This chapter will be less weird...I hope.**

The vigil for Roseleaf was held the same night. Toadfoot was allowed into ThunderClan camp for the night so he could sit vigil for his mate. Toadspots kept shooting Toadfoot dirty looks, and Daisy kept her nose buried in Roseleaf's fur for the whole night. Spiderleg seemed not to care about his daughter any more than any other warrior, sitting vigil for a while, and then going to the warriors' den.

Echopaw was busy with Hazeltail. Hazeltail was the only queen besides Daisy and Ferncloud, and she had the greatest supply of milk since her kits were the youngest. It was still not enough, though, and the kits were still crying for food.

"What are we going to name them?" Hazeltail meowed quietly.

Echopaw pointed her tail to the smallest, only she-kit. "This one is Rosekit," she whispered. Hazeltail nodded. It looked exactly like Roseleaf.

"I think Toadspots and Toadfoot should name the other two," Echopaw mewed.

Hazeltail nodded again. "But later. Right now they need to sit vigil.

"I'm done with my vigil," Toadfoot meowed, padding into the nursery. "I need to get back to ShadowClan."

"Okay." Echopaw dipped her head. She gently nudged the largest kit, who was dark brown. "Name this one."

"Darkkit," Toadfoot mewed simply. "I'll get Toadspots. I'll see if he'll even listen to me. He hates me."

"I'll come with you," Echopaw meowed. She padded out at Toadfoot's heels. So much had happened in her life, that she didn't try to dwell on one any more than the other.

They found Toadspots next to Roseleaf's body, his muzzle pressed into her cold cream fur.

"Toadspots?" Echopaw meowed.

Toadspots looked up, his eyes filled with grief. "What?" he meowed gently to Echopaw. Then he caught sight of Toadfoot, and his hackles raised. "What do you want?" he hissed.

Toadfoot bowed his head. "I just wanted you to name my last kit," he mewed.

"Not _your _kit," Toadspots growled. "_Roseleaf's _kit."

"Okay, Roseleaf's kit!" Toadfoot cried. "It doesn't matter! Roseleaf is gone. Just, please. I know she would have wanted you to name one of her kits."

Toadspots didn't pause. "I'll do it for Roseleaf," he meowed stubbornly.

Echopaw sighed. There was no need to fight. Roseleaf was dead, wasn't that bad enough?

The three cats went back inside the nursery. Darkkit was squealing for milk, the unnamed kit was squirming, and Rosekit was sleeping. Echopaw was alarmed, though. Rosekit was barely breathing.

Echopaw raced over to Rosekit and began licking her fur the wrong way, trying to stimulate her breathing. Her breathing became shallower and shallower, until her flank barely rose and fell.

"Get Jayfeather!" Echopaw gasped. Both Toadfoot and Toadspots ran out of the nursery. Echopaw continued licking desperately. Soon, Jayfeather came in with Toadfoot and Toadspots hard on his paws.

Jayfeather began pressing on Rosekit's chest. Rosekit began coughing weakly.

"Echopaw," Jayfeather ordered. "It seems like something is stuck in her throat. I need you to stick your claw down her throat."

"What?!" Echopaw asked incredulously.

"Your paws are the smallest. Come on, do it!"

Echopaw looked at her paws. They were quite small. In fact, she was pretty small for her age. So, gently, she unsheathed her claws. Jayfeather opened Rosekit's mouth wide, and Echopaw carefully stuck her claw down her throat. She felt something strange, so she hooked it on her claw and removed her claw from her mouth. A small ball of moss was on her claw.

Rosekit began to breathe again.

"Good job, Echopaw!" Jayfeather praised. Echopaw felt her heart swell. Jayfeather didn't give praise lightly.

"I'm naming the kit Marshkit," Toadspots meowed suddenly. All the cats looked at him. He mewed, "Because of Toadfoot's brother."

Happiness glimmered in Toadfoot's eyes. "Really?"

"Yes." Toadspots looked at Toadfoot. "Roseleaf would have done the same...for _your_ kits."

_That's more like Toadspots, _Echopaw thought. _Easily forgives. Doesn't hold grudges._

"Thank you." Toadfoot dipped his head. "I'm going to let you keep all three kits. We were originally going to split them, but I've realized they'll be happier in their mother's Clan. Now, I have to be going back to ShadowClan."

"When they're old enough, I'll bring them to the ShadowClan border. So they can meet their father," Toadspots meowed.

"Goodbye." With that final word, Toadfoot left the camp.

Hazeltail looked down at the three kits. "Darkkit, Marshkit, and Rosekit," she meowed. "Three more warriors for ThunderClan."

**Okay, there you go. You can review now, as I said, so please, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1**


	14. Chapter 12

**Okay, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Echopaw ducked into the nursery with borage. "Daisy?" she mewed.

"Over here." Daisy was in the corner of the nursery. Roseleaf's three kits were nestled in the curve of her belly. Hazeltail had resumed her warrior duties, and Daisy was expecting another litter of kits, so Daisy suckled them now. No one knew who the father was, but many suspected Cloudtail, so, of course, Cloudtail and Brightheart were fighting again. It became almost a regular thing.

"Here's some borage." Echopaw dropped the borage, and Daisy ate it, wincing as she tasted it.

"It's so bitter," she meowed disgustedly. Then her gaze seemed to warm and sadden at the same time. "But it's all worth it in the end."

It had been a half-moon since Roseleaf's death. It was the night of a Gathering, so Firestar was outside choosing the cats to go. Echopaw padded out of the nursery. She already knew she was going because she was a medicine cat, but she still liked to hear who was going.

"Tonight is the night of the Gathering," Firestar yowled, "and I would like to now choose the cats who will go. Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Brightheart, Spiderleg, Berrynose, Birchfall, Cinderheart, Bumblefoot, Briarthorn, Blossomflower, Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Smokepaw, and Snowpaw! You are all going to the Gathering."

All the cats not chosen slunk back inside their dens.

Echopaw had a bad feeling about this. She bet Firestar hoped that Cloudtail and Brightheart would be polite to each other in the presence of so many cats. But Echopaw knew that Brightheart was so upset that she wouldn't care where they were.

The group going to the Gathering raced out of the camp. Echopaw didn't know why they were so excited. It was just like any other Gathering.

They all slowed down in WindClan territory, making sure to remain within two foxlengths of the lake. Echopaw quickened her pace until she was standing next to Snowpaw.

"How's warrior training going?" she asked breathlessly. "With all that's been going on, I barely get to see you anymore!" Echopaw studied Snowpaw closely. She still hadn't forgotten how Tigerstar had said that Snowpaw was going to join him. Though maybe she had just eaten a bad mouse or something, and Spottedleaf had finished with her but the dreaming time wasn't over, so...

"Oh, it's going fine." Snowpaw was looking straight ahead, his dark blue eyes fixed on nothing. "Brackenfur's a great mentor."

"Snowpaw? Are you okay?" Echopaw looked at him with concern.

Snowpaw jumped, then meowed defensively, "Why wouldn't I be? Why is everyone always accusing me of everything!"

"Does this have something to do with Tigerstar?" Echopaw decided not even to be sneaky about it.

Snowpaw looked at her with true confusion. "Tigerstar?"

Echopaw breathed a sigh of relief. She could tell he thought she was crazy for suggesting something like that, which was a good thing. "Okay, then...what is it?"

"Nothing of your concern." Snowpaw broke away from her gaze.

"I can tell when you want to tell me something," Echopaw pressed.

"Leave me alone!" Snowpaw ran ahead, leaving Echopaw behind, bursting with curiosity.

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Echopaw settled into her spot next to Jayfeather. The Gathering was about to begin.

Onestar came forward first. "Greenleaf has brought plenty to our Clan. The rabbits are running nicely. WindClan has nothing else to report."

Onestar stepped back. Leopardstar now spoke. "Of course, Twoleg activity has increased, and they come through our territory every so often and scare away the fish. But we are still eating well," she added quickly, "and we will defend any attack that comes our way."

"Always thinking about attacks, leaders are," Flameheart murmured. Echopaw jumped, because she hadn't heard him settle next to her.

Blackstar growled, "ShadowClan has nothing to report."

"That's not true," Flameheart hissed.

"What else is there?" Echopaw asked.

Flameheart looked at her, his blue eyes flashing. "Sickness!" he hissed. Echopaw flinched. "Sickness, Toadfoot, new kits...why does he want to be so secretive?"

Firestar finally spoke. "Our beloved warrior Roseleaf died bearing her kits." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. No cat had heard that Roseleaf was expecting before. "But with Roseleaf's death came three new warriors, Darkkit, Marshkit, and Rosekit. I would like to thank our medicine cat apprentice Echopaw for saving the kits and doing everything she could to help Roseleaf." Congratulations came through, and a few cats chanted Echopaw's name. "We have three new warriors, Bumblefoot, Briarthorn, and Blossomflower. And our queen Daisy is expecting her third litter of kits. That is all."

"Bumblefoot! Briarthorn! Blossomflower!"

"This Gathering is over!" Blackstar yowled. The leaders leapt off the tree.

As cats began to mill around, a cat yowled, "Wait!"

Everyone turned to the source of the voice, which was Snaketail from ShadowClan. A wicked look entered Snaketail's eyes, and he yowled, "Who fathered these kits of Daisy's?"

Echopaw gasped. "How could he know that's a sore spot of ours?" she meowed, stunned.

Flameheart shrugged. "I don't know. But if Firestar didn't want to reveal the father, that's his choice."

"Not only that," Echopaw meowed, "ThunderClan doesn't know the father. Daisy doesn't want to tell."

"And that's Daisy's choice," Flameheart meowed. "Queens don't have to say if they don't want to."

Snaketail was now at the center of a ring of cats, and he was facing Firestar. "Come on, tell us!" he yowled crazily. "Tell us!"

"What's wrong with him?" Echopaw meowed tentatively. "He looks like he's gone crazy."

"Something's not right," Flameheart murmured. "It's not the sickness. The sickness just makes you cough. No, this is something else. Something's...gotten into his mind."

Echopaw looked at Flameheart fearfully. "Like...Tigerstar?"

Flameheart wordlessly nodded.

Echopaw didn't know if that had actually been Flameheart in her terrible dream, but at this moment, she could believe it had.

Firestar's hackles were raised. "Queens don't have to reveal the father's identity if they don't want to," he hissed.

"Firestar's right," a voice meowed quietly.

Everyone turned to the new voice, which was none other than Brightheart.

Brightheart took everything in with her one eye. Everyone liked and respected Brightheart, so they were all silent.

"Daisy has a right to keep her secrets, as do all other cats. Like..." Brightheart seemed to choke.

"Like Cloudtail," finished Berrynose. Brambleclaw shot his former apprentice an angry glare.

"I didn't do anything!" Cloudtail yowled. "I've been saying that all along!"

"Just leave me alone, Cloudtail." Brightheart turned on him, her one eye flashing with anger. "We all know what you did. So just stop defending yourself. We understand that you don't love me anymore! You don't want someone like me, who's so scarred and torn." Brightheart raced off the Gathering island, over the tree bridge and back toward ThunderClan territory.

Cloudtail looked agitated. "I didn't do anything!" he repeated. "When anything happens with Daisy, she just assumes it's got to do with me!"

Echopaw couldn't stop herself. "Because it's pretty obvious you like Daisy," she meowed. She knew she should feel ashamed that she said such a thing, but it was so true that she felt it was more of being honest than taking sides.

"Echopaw!" Jayfeather hissed. "Medicine cats don't take sides." Then he paused, and added, "Though I totally agree with you."

Snaketail looked satisfied with what he did, and he left the Gathering too. Onestar whispered to his warriors, "I think this is ThunderClan's problem," and he and WindClan left. Soon RiverClan followed, and then ShadowClan, so only ThunderClan cats remained on the island.

Cloudtail was in the center of the group. He looked like he was in shock. Echopaw raced to the side of the island, grabbed a poppy head from a bush, and shook out a few seeds. Then she slowly had Cloudtail lick them up.

"I don't love Daisy," he kept repeating. "I don't love Daisy. I love Brightheart. Why does everyone think I love Daisy? I don't love Daisy."

ThunderClan headed back to camp. Echopaw padded beside Snowpaw. "I wish the father of Daisy's kits would just say they are," Echopaw meowed wistfully. "This is really bad."

"Yeah," Snowpaw meowed. He looked considerably happier than he had on the way to the Gathering. Echopaw wished she knew why. "This is just going to cause lots of trouble."

Echopaw didn't know it would be solved so easily until they walked into ThunderClan camp, and Spiderleg yowled, "Okay! Okay." He looked at the crowd of cats. "Daisy's kits are mine."

The cats collectively gasped. Daisy came out of the nursery, her swollen belly slowing her down a little.

"I thought you said Daisy and you weren't mates anymore," Toadspots growled, unsheathing his claws. "You said that when I was a little kit. You barely ever played with me and Roseleaf because you said you didn't love Daisy. You said you never wanted to have kits with her."

Spiderleg looked down. "I do love Daisy," he whispered. He looked at Daisy, his amber eyes glinting. "I thought I didn't, but I do."

Daisy wouldn't make eye contact with him.

Echopaw went to the medicine cat's den and burrowed into her nest of moss. She was glad she was a medicine cat. She wouldn't have to deal with things as confusing as love.

**Okay, there you have it. Now, I have a command for you. REVIEW!!!!!!!! I want reviews now!!!!!!!!! I need some reviews to keep me going...otherwise I'll get bored because it seems no one likes this!!!!! So please please please please PLEASE PPPPPPPPLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	15. Chapter 13

**Okay, I'm sorry. Someone reviewed...but I accidentally erased the email, so I don't remember your name! I'M SO SORRY!!!! Aack...just read the chapter and review.  
**

Echopaw bent over to lap up the cold water of the Moonpool. As soon as she fell asleep, she woke up in her dreams of StarClan.

"Echopaw!"

Echopaw unsheathed her claws quickly, but she realized of course it wouldn't be Tigerstar, because she was still in StarClan territory. A blue-gray she-cat padded out from the trees.

"Bluestar?" Echopaw asked.

Bluestar nodded. "Yes, yes, formalities. I have an important message for you!"

"Okay, I'm ready." Echopaw braced herself for the news.

"Usually StarClan doesn't interfere with things like this, but I feel it is necessary. Tonight is a terrible night."

Echopaw's heart dropped. "Why?" she meowed, dread creeping into her veins.

Bluestar panted with worry. "ShadowClan are coming to attack ThunderClan right now. StarClan doesn't even know why. It seems that Snaketail has somehow influenced them all into attacking your Clan!"

Echopaw's thoughts immediately jumped to Daisy. It was only a half-moon until her kitting.

"Ah, yes, Daisy. About her," Bluestar meowed, sounding panicked. "Yes, her kits are coming early. She's laboring right now, and ShadowClan is about to attack, and this isn't boding well for ThunderClan."

"Well, let me wake up then!" Echopaw yowled desperately.

"I'll get Jayfeather." Bluestar melted into the shadows, and Echopaw found herself blinking awake at the side of the Moonpool. She raced up the side of the hill and back to ThunderClan.

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The camp was still all quiet when Echopaw arrived. "Where's Firestar?" she gasped, skidding next to Ferncloud, who was eating a mouse.

Ferncloud looked up confusedly. "On patrol with Brambleclaw, Brackenfur, and Thornclaw. There seemed to be some disturbance on the WindClan border, so Graystripe went out himself and took Sorreltail, Berrynose, Birchfall, Cloudtail and Squirrelflight. Oh, and Dustpelt."

Echopaw cursed. They had taken away most of the warriors! Most of the senior warriors, at that.

"Ferncloud," she panted, "Go and check on Daisy."

"Okay." Ferncloud still looked confused. "She was sleeping when I left her."

"Go!" Echopaw hissed, and Ferncloud hurried away.

Echopaw jumped onto the Highledge. "ThunderClan!" she yowled. "StarClan has spoken to me. ShadowClan will be attacking!"

Immediately, all the warriors were ready.

"Lionblaze, Brightheart, keep watch. Older warriors go by the entrance. Younger warriors back them up. Apprentices, take care of any who make it through the line."

All the cats nodded just as a screech came from the nursery.

"Got to go!" Echopaw took a flying leap off the Highledge and landed right outside the nursery, where she pushed through the brambles to find Daisy gasping on the nursery floor. Ferncloud had wisely shielded Daisy from Darkkit, Marshkit, and Rosekit's view.

"It's too early!" Daisy gasped. "They're coming too early!"

"I know that," Echopaw meowed gently.

Just as she took a step toward Daisy, however, a streak of light crossed her vision, and Echopaw found herself in excruciating pain. Bluestar came into her vision, and the real world melted away.

"_Many will die tonight,_" Bluestar meowed ominously. "_Many will die, but one shall find true life._"

Just as quickly she had come, Bluestar disappeared, and the real world came back into focus. Ferncloud was yowling, "Echopaw! Are you okay?" Echopaw found that she had fallen to the ground, and the nests around her were all ruined from her thrashing. Daisy was lying on the ground, panting, as ripples passed through her belly.

_If many die, and one finds true life, does that mean that maybe all of Daisy's kits will die but one? _The thought bounced around in Echopaw's mind as she stumbled over to Daisy. Outside, she heard Lionblaze yowl, "ShadowClan!" and the battle began.

**REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and by the way, I remembered that Thornclaw is Poppyfrost's uncle. So, Poppyfrost's new mate is...MOUSEWHISKER! Okay. Review.  
**


	16. Chapter 14

**REVIEW. Okay. But thanks to flamestreak64 for reviewing.  
**

Echopaw put her paw to Daisy's belly. Her belly was huge, even though it had not even been two moons yet, and so Echopaw wasn't surprised when she felt four frail heartbeats.

"Am I going to die, like my daughter?" Daisy gasped as a ripple passed through her body.

"Not if I can help it," Echopaw meowed grimly.

Yowls continued outside. Daisy shrieked in terror and pain as the shadow of a cat blocked the entrance, but the cat moved on. The battle looked like it was going badly. Echopaw's fighting training started to race through her head.

Ripples started coming faster and faster. Daisy let out a screech, and a small bundle slithered out onto the moss behind her. Ferncloud immediately began to lick.

"Echopaw," Ferncloud whispered.

Echopaw came next to Ferncloud. "What?"

"It died," she meowed quietly.

Echopaw nodded with sad acceptance. "Keep making sure that Roseleaf's kits don't see," she mewed. Darkkit, Marshkit, and Rosekit were huddled in the corner of the nursery, terror glazing their eyes.

"Why...does...this...hurt...more than it used to?" Daisy panted as the ripples slowed.

"Probably because you're thinking of Roseleaf," Echopaw murmured.

Daisy was gasping, but Echopaw could make out her words. "You have...to help other cats. Ferncloud can help me."

"I can't leave you," Echopaw insisted. "Not until I make sure you're okay."

Daisy's face was screwed up in pain. "I may not be a warrior...but I understand some things. Like the cats out there...need you...more than I do."

"No, I won't leave." Echopaw pressed her paw to Daisy's belly. She could still feel two heartbeats, but the last one was gone. One of the kits had died. Echopaw decided not to tell Daisy.

The ripples started again. Echopaw could see that Daisy was losing energy. "Daisy, you still have three more kits," Echopaw hissed. "You have to stay strong!"

"Stay...strong!" Daisy yowled in agony. A huge ripple passed, and another bundle fell onto the moss.

"Born dead," Ferncloud whispered immediately. The ripples subsided.

"ThunderClan needs their medicine cat," Daisy insisted.

"ThunderClan has Jayfeather," Echopaw meowed firmly. "You need me."

Daisy didn't argue. She panted for a few long moments. Then she screeched. "This hurts too much!"

"Daisy, you've had two litters before this," Ferncloud meowed encouragingly. "It can't hurt much more than those."

"It hurts!" Daisy kept screeching. "It hurts!"

_This isn't good._

Echopaw started to panic as she saw the all-too-familiar glaze going over Daisy's eyes. The same glaze Roseleaf's eyes had had before she died.

"Daisy, no. We can't lose you, too." Echopaw struggled to keep her voice steady. "Just keep calm."

"Why does this hurt so much?" Daisy screamed. "Even Berry, Mouse, and Hazel didn't hurt this much!"

Suddenly, a ShadowClan cat tumbled into the nursery. "Ow!" she protested to some unseen cat. Then she saw Daisy yowling in pain, then Echopaw, then the three living kits and the two dead ones. It was Dawnlight, Flameheart's sister.

"Oh, no." She backed away.

"Don't hurt my kits!" Daisy panted.

"Those three?" Dawnlight looked at them. "I'd never hurt a kit."

"There are two others," Daisy gasped. "Don't hurt them, either."

Dawnlight looked at the dead kits with understanding. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she meowed seriously. "Flameheart's taught me a few herbs. I'm sure I could recognize them."

"Just please, protect the nursery," Echopaw begged. "Even against your own Clanmates. There are some...ruthless cats out there."

"Snaketail?" Dawnlight guessed. Echopaw nodded.

"It hurts!" Daisy started screeching again.

Dawnlight's eyes widened. "I'll never have kits," she decided quickly, then bolted outside the nursery.

Ripples passed through Daisy's body quickly and furiously. She screeched and screeched and screeched, her eyes losing focus.

"Push, Daisy!" Echopaw yowled. Finally, a small bundle came onto the moss.

Ferncloud licked it. After a few moments, she looked at Echopaw, and Echopaw could read her eyes. _Dead._

The ripples didn't subside this time, and neither did Daisy's screeching. Just over the din, Echopaw heard Dawnlight's voice. "No, Snaketail! I can't let you in there!"

"Traitor!" Snaketail snarled, and there was a yelp from Dawnlight. Snaketail came bursting into the nursery.

"So," he sneered. "We have the two helpless queens, the little stupid medicine cat, and then six useless kits, three of which are dead." Echopaw winced at Daisy's cry of pain, not just from her laboring but from hearing that her three kits were dead.

Echopaw put her paw on Daisy's strongly rippling belly. There was the one heartbeat left, frail but strong.

"I am not helpless, stupid, or useless," Echopaw hissed, stalking over until she stood nose-to-nose with Snaketail. "And I'm ready to show you how wrong you are."

"Are you, now?" Snaketail jeered. "Of course you are. You, who's never had any proper warrior training!"

"I don't need warrior training," Echopaw growled, unsheathing her claws, "because I have StarClan on my side!"

She lunged at Snaketail.

Snaketail was surprised, so she was able to get a swipe along his side. But the surprise quickly turned to anger, and he spun around, knocking her to the ground and clawing at her flank. She twisted underneath him and brought her claw along his belly, with grim satisfaction seeing the blood well up. He used his front paw to shove her aside, then landed a blow on her head. A little bit dizzy, she lunged again, but he easily sidestepped and brought her to the ground, with his paw at her throat. She went limp, letting him think he'd won, then as he raised his paw for the death blow, she wriggled away and jumped on his back, clawing at his ears and back. He howled with pain and threw her off mercilessly. She slammed into the ground, dazed and nearly unconscious, as he put his paw on her neck again.

"Say goodbye, little medicine cat," he snarled.

There was a flash of ginger, and Snaketail was thrown aside.

"Flameheart!" Echopaw gasped.

"You deserve to die, Snaketail," Flameheart hissed, digging his claws into Snaketail's chest. "You almost killed my best friend. You almost killed some queens, even one who was having her kits. My sister is dying out there, and there are some ThunderClan cats already dead. All because of YOU."

Echopaw's heart dropped. There were some ThunderClan cats dead? How much more death could they take?

Daisy was still screaming in the corner, her agonizing wails echoing throughout the den.

"ShadowClan will be better off without a cat like you." Snaketail's blood was trickling to the ground, mixing with Daisy's. "I won't kill you. But I will have Blackstar exile you. And if you are found on Clan territory ever again, I will make sure you are killed."

"Mew away, little medicine cat," Snaketail snarled. "I don't need the Clan. I don't need any of the Clans! Because my plan is bigger than the Clans. Bigger than you could ever imagine."

With that, Snaketail threw Flameheart off, and he streaked out of the nursery.

"You should have killed him!" Echopaw exploded at Flameheart. "Now he'll kill even more cats!"

Flameheart blinked. "I'm a medicine cat. I'm supposed to try for peace."

_Peace? Peace?! I don't want to just sit around as cats fight and tell them all to be peaceful! It's no use! _Echopaw started having serious doubts about being a medicine cat.

Finally, Daisy let out one last screech, and a final bundle slithered out onto the moss.

Ferncloud licked it. "It's just barely alive. I don't know if it will make it."

"Good job, Daisy," Echopaw meowed, trying to sound comforting.

Daisy sighed. "My other kits...they're all dead?"

The words stuck in Echopaw's throat, so Flameheart meowed gently, "I'm sorry."

Daisy howled with grief. Echopaw quickly picked up some cobwebs that she had had with her and pressed them on, stopping the slight bleeding.

"Roseleaf, now my three other kits?" Daisy wailed.

"You can still give them names, if it makes you feel better," Flameheart tried. "That means they'll have names in StarClan."

"And your surviving kit will need a name, too," Ferncloud meowed.

Daisy sighed again. "The living one will be Onekit."

Echopaw nodded, looking at the black and brown tomkit that looked almost exactly like Spiderleg.

Daisy pointed her tail at a cream colored she-kit. "That will be Creamkit," she decided. Next was another cream colored she-kit. "That is Milkkit." The last was a black she-kit with a brown paw. "That is Leapkit."

"Those are wonderful names," Flameheart mewed.

Echopaw exhaled deeply. "We better go treat the wounded and check who's dead," she meowed sadly. Flameheart nodded. They padded outside.

The battle still raged on. Blood was spattered everywhere, and fallen cats were lying on the ground. Echopaw saw Brackenfur fighting Blackstar, and Poppyfrost was clawing at Russetfur. Echopaw noticed that Poppyfrost seemed plump. _More kits that either die or kill their mother, _Echopaw predicted. Poppyfrost was bleeding heavily. Echopaw quickly came and clawed at Russetfur to distract her as Flameheart took Poppyfrost away.

Once Russetfur was lost in a crowd of cats, Echopaw came to check on Poppyfrost. "I can still fight," she was meowing angrily.

"No, you can't," Echopaw hissed. Poppyfrost looked at her angrily, and Echopaw murmured, "I would let you go back in if you were only bleeding."

Poppyfrost deflated. "You can tell?" she meowed guiltily.

"You shouldn't fight while expecting kits," Echopaw reprimanded.

"The Clan needs me," Poppyfrost meowed stubbornly. "And Mousewhisker will think I'm a coward if I don't fight."

"If Mousewhisker truly loved you, he would understand," Echopaw meowed, shocked.

Poppyfrost turned away. "He doesn't know yet," she whispered.

"Why would he think you're a coward, anyway?" Flameheart prodded.

Poppyfrost shrugged. "Don't ask me. But he's always just making sure I fight the hardest..."

"That doesn't sound like Mousewhisker to me," Echopaw mewed suspiciously. "He's usually so nice, and he always played us as kits. He never did anything to hurt another cat unless it was necessary to protect his Clan."

Flameheart looked at Echopaw, understanding flashing in his clear blue eyes. "You don't mean..."

But Echopaw didn't get to confirm his thought, because suddenly there was a commotion at the entrance to the camp. All fighting stopped. Firestar gasped, Sandstorm cried out, and Squirrelflight ran up, yowling, "Leafpool!"

**Okay, that was a pretty long chapter. But anyway, I didn't know what to do with the Poppyfrost thing, so I twisted it all around and stuff from what I was originally going to do. I just wanted to make a point on how her mate is MOUSEWHISKER. It's not Thornclaw anymore, because I just realized that Thornclaw's her uncle. Technically, everyone is already all inter-related, but some things...gah. Anyhow, I'm still trying to avoid mating with uncles. We'll just have to see how desperate I get...anyway, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!**


	17. Chapter 15

**Okay, thanks to Fluffy Lady for reviewing! I like the names you came up with! Someone else might have reviewed...but I can't tell if that's for this story or my other. It all gets mixed up...**

"Great StarClan!" Jayfeather gasped.

"Leafpool..." Firestar meowed, his voice choked with pain.

Echopaw dodged around a few gaping cats so she could see the entrance clearly. There was a ragged light brown tabby she-cat with a white chest and white front paws. Her pelt seemed to hang off of her, her ribs jutted out at odd angles, and her amber eyes were dull.

"Leafpool?" Echopaw whispered. This would be her grandmother.

Leafpool seemed to ignore every cat except Lionblaze and Jayfeather, who were standing next to each other. A light returned to her eyes. "My sons..." she rasped. Lionblaze flinched at the word. "Where is Hollyleaf?" she inquired.

"Hollyleaf's dead," Jayfeather hissed.

Leafpool's eyes widened with horror. "No..." she murmured. Then she began yowling. "No! No! My kit! My beautiful daughter! This is my fault, all my fault! If I hadn't told her I was her mother, she wouldn't have been so upset!"

Leafpool seemed to go in a frenzy. "Hollyleaf! Hollyleaf, no! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Flameheart wriggled in beside Echopaw, and Echopaw pressed up against him for comfort.

"Leafpool," Sandstorm meowed, her voice tight, "Are you staying for good?"

Leafpool seemed to shrink. "No," she whispered. "I have a message for Jayfeather."

Cats began muttering to each other as Leafpool staggered toward Jayfeather. A path cleared as all the cats leapt backwards from her, hissing. Even Lionblaze didn't seem to care, as he moved away too. Leafpool and Jayfeather were left standing in a wide circle.

"What do you even have to say to me anymore?" Jayfeather growled.

"I received a message from StarClan," Leafpool meowed.

Cats gasped, and the muttering increased. "She doesn't receive messages from StarClan anymore!"

Leafpool ignored them. "Originally, it was like this, _They see four, but it is three and one. The one shall rise...then fade like an echo._"

Echopaw jumped. Where had she heard that before?

"But now it is different. Instead of four, it says three, with two and one. And now I have been hearing voices whispering on the wind. They are saying _echo the breeze...echo the breeze._"

"You're going crazy, Leafpool," Jayfeather mewed cruelly. "You're hearing voices in your head. StarClan doesn't speak to you anymore."

Cats began throwing insults at Leafpool, jeering and sneering.

"No!" Leafpool gasped, wildly turning around and around. "You must believe me!"

Firestar took a step forward. "Leafpool," he meowed, his voice taut, "please, stay."

A growl rose in Leafpool's throat. "No!" she snarled. She spun around, the agony immense in her eyes. "I've lost everything! I don't want to be around the place that makes me remember everything I've lost! I've lost my medicine cat role, I've lost Hollyleaf, I've lost Crowfeather, I've lost Lionblaze and Jayfeather. ThunderClan is just a place filled with pain!" Leafpool blundered out of the bramble tunnel.

"Leafpool, no!" Squirrelflight yowled, starting after her sister. "We can work this out! It'll all be okay!"

"Squirrelflight," Sandstorm meowed gently. "Leafpool has made her own choice."

Echopaw looked at Firestar, who said nothing. Echopaw tried to feel his emotions. Suddenly, she was pulled into blackness.

_Firestar streaked into a bramble nursery. Inside, there was Ferncloud and Brightheart with her kit Whitekit.  
_

_"Firestar, get out!" Ferncloud snarled. "You can't come inside yet."_

_"But Sandstorm!" Firestar protested frantically. "What if she ends up like Silverstream?"_

_A cry came from behind Ferncloud._

_"Sandstorm!" Firestar tried to push by, but Ferncloud pushed back._

_"Cinderpelt's got everything under control," Ferncloud soothed. Whitekit tried to duck behind Brightheart to look, but Brightheart gently nudged her back.  
_

_"You'll get to see soon enough," Brightheart meowed gently._

_"In the meantime, Firestar, I need you to leave," Ferncloud hissed._

_Firestar backed out. He couldn't believe how defensive queens were. He flinched as there was another screech of pain from the nursery._

_Graystripe came up behind Firestar. "It'll be okay," he meowed._

_Firestar whirled on him. "How do you know?" he demanded. "How do you know! I watched Silverstream bleed to death while having your kits. How do you know that won't happen to Sandstorm?"_

_Graystripe looked at Firestar hard, his amber eyes glinting with cold fire. "I know," he meowed simply. "Something tells me that your kits are more important than you could ever imagine." Graystripe spun around and stalked away._

_After what seemed like eternity, Cinderpelt came out of the nursery, her paws streaked in blood._

_"No!" Firestar yowled._

_Cinderpelt gave him a wry look. "She's fine, Firestar. Every queen bleeds a little."_

_"Can I see them?" Firestar begged._

_Cinderpelt's blue eyes flashed. "Sandstorm has asked that you stay away for a little while."_

_Firestar's heart sank. "Why would she do that?"_

_"Queens are protective," Cinderpelt mewed. Sadness filled her blue eyes. "Especially with their first litter." She looked at Firestar despondently and padded away to the medicine cat's den._

_Firestar didn't pay attention to her sadness. He paced outside the nursery for a day, leaving Graystripe in charge of the whole camp. Finally, Ferncloud poked her head out and meowed, "Firestar, you can come in."_

_Firestar raced inside the nursery, nearly barreling into little Whitekit who was standing next to Sandstorm proudly, watching over the two little bundles that suckled at her belly._

_Firestar laid down next to Sandstorm. "They're beautiful," he whispered._

_Sandstorm looked up sleepily. "Two she-kits," she meowed, and yawned widely, shifting so that the two little kits were broken away from her belly. They cried out in protest and hunger, so Whitekit gently pushed them forward so they could suckle again._

_"Whitekit's been a great help," Sandstorm meowed as she closed her eyes. "She deserves a very special mentor."_

_Sandstorm fell asleep._

_Firestar looked at Whitekit. "If you mean that much to Sandstorm and my kits, I'll let you choose your mentor."_

_Whitekit didn't waste time. "Brackenfur!"_

_Firestar _mrrowed _with soft laughter, then mewed, "Fine. In another moon, your mentor will be Brackenfur. I'll tell him that his niece wants him as a mentor."_

_After another two days, Firestar caught up with Cinderpelt taking borage to Sandstorm._

_Cinderpelt _mrrowed. _"I suppose you want to see them again?"_

_Firestar felt himself go hot. "I just can't believe how beautiful they are."_

_"Well, get going then."_

_Firestar ignored the wistfulness Cinderpelt gave off in waves, and he walked merrily into the nursery._

_Sandstorm stirred, and she blearily opened her eyes._

_"I've thought of names," she mewed sleepily. "The one who looks like you is Squirrelkit, and the light brown tabby and white one is Leafkit."_

_Firestar nodded. "Those are the greatest names of any kits ever."_

_Squirrelkit did look like Firestar. Same flame-colored pelt, but she had a bushier tail. Leafkit was for the memories of SkyClan's Leafstar. That was probably what Sandstorm was naming her for, but Firestar liked to think that maybe it was for Spottedleaf, too._

_Firestar looked at the two little bundles suckling. _There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. _Would those three be descended from either of his two precious, beautiful daughters? If so, which one? Something drew his gaze to little Leafkit, with her tiny paws and lean figure. Leafkit had a great destiny ahead of her...but Firestar couldn't be sure if it was good or bad._

Echopaw jerked. What had she just seen? And what was that weird prophecy thing? If Firestar had been thinking of Leafpool, could it be that Lionblaze and Jayfeather were part of the prophecy? But what about Hollyleaf? She was dead. Cloudtail was Firestar's kin...kin of your kin...could it be Whitewing? Somehow, Echopaw didn't think so. Was it Dovepaw or Ivypaw? They had seemed pretty normal, but yet...

Something clicked. _If it's Lionblaze and Jayfeather, and not Hollyleaf...it would be either Dovepaw or Ivypaw, because Whitewing seems normal. Now, is it Dovepaw or Ivypaw? That would be ironic. If not Holly, it's Ivy. That must be it._

Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Ivypaw were part of a prophecy, a prophecy foretelling that they would be even greater than StarClan!

**Okay, I have a request. Review, of course, but in a review could someone please tell me how to PM people? I'm really unsure, and I wanted to do that 100 Tales Challenge that Frostfoot-Dreamleaf made, but I couldn't, because I didn't know how to PM her...HELP! AND REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 16

**A lot of people reviewed, but you know, I kind of, you know, deleted all the emails. Soooo, I don't know exactly who reviewed. But thanks anyway!!!!!  
**

Echopaw kept her discovery to herself. After Leafpool was long gone and Firestar and Squirrelflight were in states of depression, ShadowClan simply left, and the medicine cats collected the dead and healed the wounded, both ThunderClan and abandoned ShadowClan.

Echopaw was watching Mousewhisker very closely. He didn't seem to be acting any differently, but she didn't doubt Poppyfrost, either. The thing that happened with Snaketail could have been some disease, and Echopaw didn't want it spreading into ThunderClan, though if Mousewhisker did what he did, it already might have.

Jayfeather was collecting the dead as Echopaw looked to see who was still alive. Dawnlight was still laying outside the nursery where Snaketail had defeated her, but she was still very much alive, freaking out over the fact that Leafpool came back. Whitewater of ShadowClan was bleeding beneath the Highledge, but when Echopaw felt her heart it was still beating strong. Thornclaw and Birchfall were also down but not out, while Foxpelt was desperately putting cobwebs on the barely breathing but alive Briarthorn.

Jayfeather picked up Owlfur of ShadowClan's body and placed it in the center of the camp. He murmured the sending off that medicine cats always did, and then nudged Eaglepaw's body into the center. Rockpelt of ShadowClan was put there after Eaglepaw's sending off, and Ferncloud brought Creamkit, Milkkit, and Leapkit soon after.

_Many will die tonight, but one shall find true life._

Echopaw thought that had meant Daisy's kits. Three had died, only one had lived. Plus three others. Six had died, and one came into life.

But for some reason, Echopaw didn't think that was for Onekit.

Echopaw began to have strange feelings. She loved the rush of adrenaline she had had when she had battled Snaketail. She loved the fury and excitement of battling Russetfur. She realized that as a regular medicine cat, she wouldn't have any of these feelings ever again because she would never fight. And these feelings made Echopaw confused--and angry.

Echopaw murmured the send-off words over the six dead cats. "May StarClan light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep." She couldn't remember if that was right. All the medicine cat things had become hazy after she had battled.

Echopaw padded back to the medicine cat's den and brought out a wad of cobwebs. She pressed it to Whitewater's bleeding cut along her flank. Whitewater gasped awake. "Was Leafpool really here?" she asked breathlessly. "I wasn't hallucinating?"

Echopaw shook her head. "She was here."

Whitewater fell to her side, breathing heavily. "Leafpool helped me deliver my kits."

Echopaw's ears pricked with interest. "Did she?"

Whitewater nodded. "Yes. I was out for a walk when they started coming. Leafpool was just wandering. She said she had to get back to ThunderClan, but was afraid. She had been wandering Clan territory for a few moons. She helped me have my kits, then said that she had to leave before someone of ShadowClan found her. That I couldn't tell anyone she had been here."

Echopaw was surprised, yet she didn't show it as she pressed more cobwebs to more of Whitewater's cuts. Whitewater staggered to her feet, her blind eye flashing, and she meowed, "I should get back to ShadowClan. You should keep Owlfur and Rockpelt's bodies, because I can't carry them back myself." With that, Whitewater left.

**Yeah, that was pretty short, but I wanted to move on. I got tired of the battle, and I want Echopaw to get an exciting life. Next up is Poppyfrost's kits! Like, three of my chapters are already consumed with having kits. Wow. Anyway, review.**


	19. Chapter 17

**So, review! I'll use a name I got from the reviewer, Fluffy Lady. I like your warrior name, too, though I'm not sure if I'll use it yet. It depends if I remember it. So, here we go!**

Poppyfrost yowled, long and low. After some persisting, Mousewhisker finally left. Mousewhisker seemed to be back to his normal self, after a few strange incidents of cruelty. Echopaw wasn't sure what it was, but she was sure that Snaketail had had it, and that Mousewhisker had been able to fight it off easier, because his heart was not already so corrupt by evil.

Poppyfrost yowled again. Jayfeather was here this time, and he was helping Echopaw this time. Daisy and Ferncloud had Darkkit, Marshkit, Rosekit, and Onekit wisely backed up against the wall. Onekit was quite the curious little kit, though, and Echopaw saw how he ducked around Ferncloud and Daisy and watched the whole thing.

It had been two and a half moons since the battle, and Poppyfrost's kits were very late. She had been pacing around the den for about a day, the way queens do before they have kits. Jayfeather was explaining to Echopaw how exactly spasms come, though Echopaw knew already.

"Her muscles are working to push the kits out," Jayfeather explained, and somehow Echopaw could tell that he was quoting Leafpool. "In a moment she's going to have to help by pushing too."

"Now?" Poppyfrost shrieked. Echopaw could see how panicked she was, even though she'd had kits before. Roseleaf and then Daisy had gotten most of the queens nervous.

"No, not yet." Jayfeather rested his paw on Poppyfrost's swollen belly. "You have two kits. They're going to be pretty big, though."

Poppyfrost groaned. She began to pant very hard.

"You're doing fine," Jayfeather insisted.

"If this is fine," Poppyfrost meowed hoarsely, "then StarClan help me--" Another spasm made her screech in pain. As the spasm left her, she sighed. "Please, Daisy and Ferncloud, take the kits and leave. I don't want anyone in here but the medicine cats."

Daisy and Ferncloud shuffled the kits out, but Echopaw saw Onekit peer through a gap in the brambles of the nursery. She didn't bother shooing him away, though. She had a feeling that he might actually be interested in this.

Poppyfrost moaned as a spasm tore through her body.

"Spasms come like waves lapping the shore," Jayfeather told Echopaw, quoting Leafpool again. "One after another, growing faster and stronger."

Small spasms began coming through Poppyfrost's belly. "They're going to get bigger?" she groaned. "This already hurts too much."

"It's bound to hurt more than your last litter," Jayfeather soothed. "You've been expecting much longer, maybe almost for three moons. That's way too long."

Poppyfrost began to pant as the spasms came faster. "Do I push yet?" she asked breathlessly.

"No, not yet." Jayfeather placed his paw on her huge belly again. "Not yet."

"How much longer can I take this?" Poppyfrost croaked.

A huge spasm racked Poppyfrost's body. "Now!" Jayfeather yowled, and Echopaw felt the queen push with all her might. She yowled and screeched.

"Almost there!" Echopaw encouraged. "I can see the first one!"

Echopaw heard Onekit gasp in wonder, so she coughed slightly, trying to cover it up.

Poppyfrost shrieked a few more times, pushing with all her strength. A positively huge bundle fell to the ground. Jayfeather nipped open the sac and licked it to stimulate the breathing. The kit gasped easily, then started screeching nearly as loud as his mother.

The spasms subsided, and Jayfeather put the tomkit in front of Poppyfrost. Poppyfrost licked it weakly. "This is Eaglekit," she decided, and Echopaw knew it was because of her dead son, Eaglepaw.

The spasms started again, and Poppyfrost screeched. After a while they subsided. Jayfeather looked worried. "She should have had her other one." They started, subsided, and started and subsided again.

Finally, Poppyfrost lay gasping. "I can't do it anymore." Echopaw could see that she had clearly run out of energy.

"Come on, Poppyfrost." Echopaw tried to give her hope. "Just one more kit."

A steely look got on Poppyfrost's face. "You're right."

The spasms started again, very small and barely noticeable. Echopaw licked Poppyfrost's belly, trying to stimulate the kit to come out. The ripples started coming faster and bigger, until waves nearly as big as small ripples in the lake passed through Poppyfrost's body.

"Push!" Jayfeather ordered.

Poppyfrost screeched. Her tortoiseshell-and-white fur stood on end as she pushed. An even bigger kit than the last one started coming.

"Come on, just a little more," Jayfeather meowed. Poppyfrost yowled, literally shaking with the effort now. Finally, the last bundle plopped out, and Poppyfrost collapsed, exhausted and bleeding, but finished.

"Cobwebs," Jayfeather commanded Echopaw, and Echopaw passed him the cobwebs to staunch the bleeding. She picked up the kit, which was as big as Dapplepaw had been at a moon. She nipped open the sac, and the kit wailed, already breathing. Poppyfrost's bleeding stopped. Echopaw nudged the two screeching kits to Poppyfrost's belly so they could suckle.

"Two tomkits," Jayfeather murmured.

"Eaglekit and Emberkit," Poppyfrost sighed, and fell asleep with her kits still suckling. Jayfeather started to turn in Onekit's direction, so Echopaw moved to block him from sight.

"How many queens have you helped now?" Jayfeather asked.

"Three," Echopaw meowed.

"I have to say, you're a natural at this," Jayfeather meowed.

_Do I want to be? _Echopaw thought,.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Echopaw woke the next day to see the cold leaf-fall sun. She was about three seasons old now. It was hard to keep track of who were warriors and new kits and everything. It was hard to keep track of the moons that went by, too. Sometimes she thought that a moon went by, and she was mistaken and it was only a half-moon. But with all the mistakes she made, she had just asked Hazeltail, and Hazeltail said that she was three seasons old.

_Some of the apprentices are pretty old now, _Echopaw thought, thinking of Snowpaw and Dapplepaw. Smokepaw and Dewpaw had become Smokefur and Dewleaf, but Goldenpaw and Fogpaw were not yet warriors. It sort of annoyed Echopaw how Firestar kept naming warriors with the ending of _leaf. _Hollyleaf, Roseleaf, Dewleaf. She knew he was missing Leafpool, but you don't need to ruin other cats' warrior names because of that. He let Icestorm be Icestorm, but when Dewleaf said she hoped to be Dewspring, he makes her Dewleaf.

Echopaw stretched. Her mind went back to her problem of keeping time. Sometimes she said two moons went by when it was barely one. That was just one of her problems.

"Echopaw?" squeaked a voice.

Echopaw felt a warmness creep into her veins. "Hi, Onekit," she meowed kindly.

"Echopaw!" Onekit's black pelt with a brown underbelly came into view. He had quite long legs for a cat. He looked exactly like Spiderleg.

"Why are you up so early today?" Echopaw asked.

Onekit suddenly looked away. Echopaw crouched down to his level. "What's wrong?"

"It's just..." Onekit hesitated.

"You can tell me," Echopaw meowed reassuringly. Onekit had come to trust her, and he usually came to her nearly every day.

"I want to be a medicine cat, but there's already two!" Onekit blurted out.

Echopaw felt herself go dizzy. She knew Onekit was interested, but she didn't actually think....

Yet this could be the perfect opportunity.

"You know, Onekit," she mewed slowly, "I don't really want to be a medicine cat."

**Okay, there we have it. Yeah, I did that little thing with time, because I realized that Echopaw would be over a year old now, and I didn't want that. I wanted her to have to go through winter still, so...I made her all messed up with time. Because this is in her point of view, so...yeah. Anyway, REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 18

**Okay, I'm sorry that this chapter will be pretty lame. But I already wrote it, then all of the sudden it erased everything. So, sorry. Oh, and check out last chapter. I said I was going to use one of Fluffy Lady's names, then I forgot I was going to, so I made up my own name. Now I changed it. So, they're Eaglekit and Emberkit and DON'T FORGET IT!!!!! Because I probably will. Anyway, again, this won't be very good. I had this like AWESOME fight scene, but then it ERASED it, so now I just want to get it over with.  
**

Onekit's eyes grew wide. "I didn't mean that you couldn't be a medicine cat anymore!"

"No, Onekit," Echopaw meowed strongly. "This was coming for a long time. It's just before...I was too blind to see it."

Onekit looked even more scared. "Jayfeather will be mad that you used the word blind like that."

Echopaw licked him between the ears. "I don't care. He's not my mentor anymore, so he can't punish me!"

"Why am I not your mentor anymore?"

Echopaw spun around to see Jayfeather standing right behind her, his eyes smoldering.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed at Onekit.

"It didn't seem like the right time," Onekit squeaked, and ran away to the nursery.

"Well?" Jayfeather seemed impatient.

"I...I don't want to be...a medicine cat anymore?" Echopaw stuttered.

To Echopaw's surprise, Jayfeather nodded. "I knew that was coming. Well, get off then, and go tell Firestar."

Echopaw, thoroughly baffled, stumbled to the den under the Highledge, where Firestar stayed. _He's not mad?_

"Come in, Echopaw," Firestar meowed, though Echopaw hadn't said anything.

Echopaw padded inside slowly. The words came tumbling out of her mouth. "I don't want to be a medicine cat anymore!" she meowed breathlessly.

Firestar's eyes widened; then he sighed. "It's happened before." His eyes glinted, both mischievously and sadly. "Got your eye on a tom, do you?"

Echopaw stammered angrily. "No! N-no!"

Firestar_ mrrowed. _"Kits these days, don't get a joke."

"I'm an apprentice," Echopaw hissed, becoming annoyed with the leader.

Firestar _mrrowed _a bit more, then sighed again. "Well, go tell Cinderheart you're her new apprentice."

"Thanks, Firestar." Echopaw left as quickly as she could. Even Firestar was getting old.

Echopaw found Cinderheart by the fresh-kill pile. "Cinderheart?"

Cinderheart turned around, quickly. "Echopaw?"

Echopaw scuffled the ground with her forepaws. "I...I didn't want to be a medicine cat anymore, so I told Firestar...and I'm you're new apprentice."

Warmth glimmered in Cinderheart's eyes. "Well, when do you want to start?"

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"Okay, let's start with hunting."

Cinderheart showed the perfect mouse-stalking technique. "Now you...try?" Cinderheart broke off because Echopaw was doing it perfectly, so lightly and quietly that Cinderheart couldn't hear or feel her. "Bird-stalking?" Perfect. "Rabbit stalking?" Perfect.

"Where did you learn this?" Cinderheart demanded.

Echopaw shrugged. "I don't know. You're a good mentor?"

Cinderheart sighed. "Well, then, I'll do an assessment. Go, catch as much fresh-kill as you can. The prey'll be hiding on this cold morning, so maybe you'll be able to impress me even more by making some prey come up from their burrows." Cinderheart stalked away, though Echopaw knew that she'd be watching her.

Echopaw raced to the ShadowClan border, because she knew that prey usually ran well over there. There was a squirrel gathering a few acorns by a rotted log, so Echopaw fell into the instinctual squirrel-stalking technique. She glided over the leaves behind the squirrel, and it was totally unaware. Just when she got close enough to pounce, a voice meowed loudly, "Hi!"

The squirrel shot up a tree, startled.

"Mouse brain!" she hissed at the direction of the voice. "I was about to catch that squirrel!"

"Catch it?" The cat came into full view. It was Flameheart, standing right on the border. "Why would you be catching squirrels?"

Echopaw stood taller. She knew this would have to come. "I'm not a medicine cat any longer," she meowed proudly. "I'm training to become a warrior."

Flameheart's blue eyes widened to the size and roundness of moons. "Why?"

Echopaw shook her head. "I'm not meant to be a medicine cat. Being a warrior is what I was born for."

Flameheart then shook his head. "If you're sure...."

"Positive."

"Well, then, Warrior, you obviously noticed the mouse that just ran by your paws."

Echopaw hissed angrily. "Why do you care if I'm a warrior or a medicine cat?"

Flameheart took a step over the border, his pelt bristling. "Why are you so defensive?"

Echopaw growled. "I'm a warrior now, which means I have to chase all intruders off of ThunderClan territory, medicine cat or not."

Flameheart looked even more enraged. He stepped well inside the ThunderClan border, then taunted, "You wouldn't hurt me, would you?"

"Stop acting like a kit!" Echopaw insulted.

Flameheart's neck fur stood on end. "Just stop arguing, okay?"

"You started it!"

"_Now _who's acting like a kit!"

Echopaw's vision was blocked by a red haze of fury. She didn't know what was making Flameheart act so stupid, but she was going to become a ThunderClan warrior. He was a ShadowClan cat on ThunderClan territory. She couldn't take that.

Echopaw lunged at Flameheart. He seemed taken aback, so Echopaw got a good scratch with her claws, just enough to hurt, but not enough to scar or viciously wound. Flameheart stepped even more inside the border. Echopaw caterwauled and leapt on his back. She clawed lightly at his neck. Flameheart yowled and threw her off. He then stood over her. Echopaw kicked out with her back paws. Flameheart gasped and fell to the ground. Echopaw then stood over him and brought herself crashing down on top of him. Then she put a sheathed paw on his neck.

"Get off our territory!" she hissed, then let him up.

Flameheart scrambled to ShadowClan territory. "You never understand!" he yowled. Echopaw didn't know what that meant, so she ignored him. She spun around and stalked away, fuming.

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After she had calmed down, Echopaw had caught a chaffinch, a vole, and two mice. She carried her prey back to camp and dropped it on the skinny mouse that was the fresh-kill pile.

"Well done!" Cinderheart meowed approvingly. "Tomorrow we'll work on battle training." Then her look turned serious, and she whispered, "If it's anything like I saw today, I wouldn't be surprised if you're a warrior by the Gathering in a few days."

_What? Am I really that good?_

"Will that be Snowpaw, Dapplepaw, Goldenpaw, and Fogpaw's ceremony, too?" Echopaw asked.

"Goldenpaw and Fogpaw, yes." Cinderheart looked troubled. "But Snowpaw and Dapplepaw...no."

"Why not?" Echopaw persisted. "I'm sure they're...."

But Cinderheart was shaking her head. "No, Echopaw. Dapplepaw's way too rash and impulsive." There was the word. Rash. "And Snowpaw...he's always so tired. Brackenfur can't get him to focus. Also, he's always so agitated and defensive."

_Tired. Agitated. Defensive. He's been like that for a while now...and I think it's time I found out why._

**WELL, Echopaw's just a little overachiever, isn't she? ANYHOW, yeah. It was a lot cooler than that before, but, as I said, you know...anyway, review, if you please. Here's an update of the allegiances while I'm at it.**

**Leader: Firestar**

**Deputy: Brambleclaw**

**Medicine Cat: Jayfeather**

**Warriors: Squirrelflight**

**Dustpelt**

**Apprentice, Dapplepaw**

**Sandstorm**

**Cloudtail**

**Brackenfur**

**Apprentice, Snowpaw**

**Sorreltail**

**Thornclaw**

**Brightheart**

**Spiderleg**

**Birchfall**

**Apprentice, Goldenpaw**

**Graystripe**

**Apprentice, Fogpaw**

**Berrynose**

**Apprentice, Dewpaw**

**Mousewhisker**

**Cinderheart**

**Apprentice, Echopaw**

**Lionblaze**

**Icestorm**

**Foxpelt**

**Toadspots**

**Millie**

**Whitewing**

**Smokefur**

**Dewleaf**

**Doveflight**

**Ivyvine**

**Queens: Ferncloud**

**Daisy**

**Poppyfrost-mother of Mousewhisker's kits; Eaglekit, Emberkit**

**Elders: Longtail  
**

**Okay then. Poppyfrost is mates with MOUSEWHISKER. Poppyfrost is mates with MOUSEWHISKER. Anyhoo, who likes the names? I think Dovekit will be Dovewing when it comes to it, and I liked the name, but look at it when it's typed. Dovewing. Dovewing. It just looks weird, right? SOOOO, I made her Doveflight. Personally, I think Ivyvine is an awesome name. You might think, AAACK! Too much Vs! But look at Hollyleaf. Hollyleaf, Ivyvine. Personally, I think Hollyleaf is harder to pronounce.**

**Shadow Out!**

**3 Wildshadow24  
**


	21. Chapter 19

**Well, thanks for all your reviews! Oh, and I got this flame a little bit ago...it was a simple misunderstanding. Roseleaf's mate was Toad_foot, _while her brother was Toad_spots. _I didn't mean to make it so confusing, it just sort of happened that way. Still, it was no reason to be so rude. And I quote, "_You idiot! TOADSPOTS AND ROSELEAF ARE BROTHER AND SISTER YOU DUMMY! Haven't you read the Power of Three series?! IDIOT!_" So, sir or ma'am, just because you don't understand something doesn't mean you have to FLAME me. And if you _must _insult me, don't use such primitive words like idiot and dummy. Please use thinks like _cotton-headed ninnymuggins. _Anyhoo, on with the story!**

Echopaw crept quietly out of the apprentices' den. Snowpaw had just left after making sure no one was watching. _Sneaky. _It didn't seem like this was any old visit to the dirtplace.

Snowpaw went into the corner of the camp, where a few boulders were piled up. After making sure, again, that no one was watching, he leapt lightly on top of the boulders. Then he clawed into a small crevice in the cliff and hauled himself over the edge. A few pebbles clattered down. Snowpaw paused fearfully, twitching his ears, but then he moved on. Echopaw nimbly followed him, even more quietly than him.

Snowpaw stole through the trees, leaping into brambles at the slightest sound. Echopaw let him get far ahead, then followed his scent trail. He wasn't very good at trying to hide it, accidentally rubbing up against nearly every tree or bush that was in his way. Echopaw almost seemed to float off the ground, with only the slightest whiff of her scent indicating her path.

Snowpaw kept moving toward the WindClan border. _Why? _Echopaw wondered, though she had a feeling she knew. The Clans couldn't stay apart these days.

Snowpaw kept going. On and on he went, until he stood by the WindClan border. Then he moved down until he crept by the lake. Then, suddenly, he slipped into the water.

Echopaw was astonished. Every time she had asked, he had told her he hated the water.

Snowpaw swam like he had been doing it all his life. Undeterred, Echopaw followed him, and found that she wasn't too bad at it either. She couldn't follow his scent trail on the water, so she had to glide dangerously close to him. Luckily, he was so intent on his destination that he didn't hear the stirring water.

Thickheaded as always.

Snowpaw finally got out on the Gathering island, and shook himself ferociously. He made his way toward the center, where the Gathering was usually held in the clearing. He skirted around the edges a few times, checking scents. Finally, his ears pricked, and he called softly, "Petalfur?"

Echopaw caught her breath as the unmistakable shape of Petalfur, the RiverClan she-cat, moved out of the undergrowth.

_Please, don't show any recognition, _Echopaw prayed, though she knew it was futile. _Please, let her be surprised that Snowpaw is here._

Of course, Petalfur purred. "Snowpaw!" she cried softly, and rushed to his side. Echopaw felt like she was going to be sick as she watched them purr and rub against each other, twining their tails. Echopaw knew she should make an intervention, but for some reason she felt she couldn't.

More purring. More licking. Finally, Snowpaw started talking. "How's your Clan?"

Petalfur's gaze immediately clouded. "Not so well. The Twolegs usually leave after greenleaf, but this leaf-fall they've stayed even longer, taking their floating things through the rivers and scaring away all the fish."

Echopaw nearly hissed aloud as Snowpaw looked very concerned. "You...you do look thinner."

_Indeed, she does, _Echopaw thought savagely. _But it's not just YOUR concern, it's all of the Clans' concern, and about ALL the RiverClan cats, not just..._Petalfur.

Snowpaw stood up suddenly. "You should join ThunderClan!"

Echopaw didn't think Snowpaw could be so..._rash. _But yet, now that Snowpaw was meeting with Petalfur, Echopaw could almost believe anything.

Except that Petalfur actually took Snowpaw seriously.

"Maybe..." she mewed uncertainly.

"Come on," Snowpaw meowed encouragingly. "You'd have plenty of fresh-kill, and then we wouldn't be separated any longer, because we're in the same Clan!"

_Am I the only sane one around here? _Echopaw thought incredulously as Petalfur started nodding. _Am I the only young cat who doesn't have forbidden feelings? Snowpaw's an _apprentice, _for StarClan's sake, and Petalfur's just a new warrior. They haven't even truly lived their lives yet!_

"You...you have a point," Petalfur meowed thoughtfully. "But I'd miss my Clan, and I'd miss Beetlepelt and Grasswhisker and Prickleclaw."

Snowpaw looked at her intently. "But you'd have me."

Petalfur sighed wistfully. "Yes, I'd have you."

Echopaw couldn't take it anymore. She _had _to intervene. Otherwise, things could get...ugly.

"No, you _wouldn't _have Snowpaw," Echopaw hissed, stalking out into the clearing.

Petalfur gasped and scrambled away from Snowpaw, but Snowpaw just swelled with rage.

"Echopaw!" he yowled. "You've been _spying _on me?"

"For your own good!" Echopaw retorted. "You're about to throw your life away, I can tell you that much!"

Snowpaw lifted his head proudly, his blue eyes blazing with fury. "Petalfur's the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

Echopaw was stunned. "W-what?! You're only an apprentice! You can't think about taking a _mate!_"

Snowpaw held her gaze. "I'm serious."

Echopaw shook her head in despair. "Snowpaw, I can't let you do this. You're ruining your life right now."

"You're one to talk," Snowpaw shot back. "What about you and _Flameheart_?"

Echopaw was thoroughly amazed at what Snowpaw was coming up with. All she could stutter out was, "What?!"

"That's right," Snowpaw sneered. "You and your ShadowClan mate, always meeting with each other and saying how you wish you were in the other's Clan!"

Echopaw took a step toward Snowpaw. "Snowpaw, please."

"ThunderClan obviously doesn't want me anymore," Snowpaw hissed, standing next to Petalfur so their fur brushed. "They're too accusing of love! Look at what they did to Leafpool!"

"They didn't do that to Leafpool," Echopaw growled. "Leafpool did it to herself."

"You can't stop me," Snowpaw meowed proudly.

"There's a reason that love is forbidden between cats from different Clans," Echopaw mewed matter-of-factly. "You obviously never listened to the elders' tales, of Ryewhisker and Cloudberry."

"Who needs Longtail?" Snowpaw caterwauled. "I now have new RiverClan elders!"

Echopaw nearly fell backward in shock. "You're joining RiverClan?"

"That's right," Snowpaw yowled. "I'll be with Petalfur, forever!"

Echopaw watched helplessly as Snowpaw and Petalfur sprinted back toward the RiverClan camp. Despondently, Echopaw swam back through the lake to ThunderClan territory. She didn't know how she would tell Firestar. She climbed down the way that she and Snowpaw had left, making sure she was licked dry, and made her way to Firestar's den.

"Echopaw?" Firestar meowed sleepily. "Why are you here?"

Echopaw gulped. "It's about Snowpaw."

Firestar's ears pricked slightly. "Is he okay?"

Echopaw went in. "No."

Echopaw told what happened, ending with Snowpaw's decision to join RiverClan.

Firestar nodded. "I'll have to tell the Clan. Dawn is breaking; they should be up about now anyway."

Echopaw looked outside. The pitch black of night was replaced by a darker blue, and pink was starting to creep up.

Firestar jumped onto the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

All the cats grudgingly wandered out of their dens and plopped to the ground, licking their paws and drawing them over their ears.

"I have some sad news," Firestar began. "Snowpaw has decided to join RiverClan because he fell in love with the RiverClan warrior Petalfur."

Astounded yowls sounded throughout the camp. "My kit!" Hazeltail wailed. "Why is StarClan trying to take away my kits?"

Dapplepaw was studying the ground, saying nothing.

Lionblaze unsheathed his claws. "Are you sure that Snowpaw left of his own will? That doesn't sound like my son."

Echopaw nodded. "He...he wanted to."

"I don't think Snowpaw would've left!" Thornclaw yowled. "RiverClan must have tricked him somehow!"

Echopaw shook her head. "No, no! He wanted to leave!"

To her dismay, cats were agreeing with Thornclaw. "We should attack!" "Let's go, right now!" "We need to teach RiverClan a lesson about stealing apprentices!"

Echopaw was even more shocked when Firestar said nothing.

"Let's go!" Thornclaw yowled. Spiderleg, Bumblefoot, Smokefur, and Toadspots followed him.

Firestar still said nothing.

More cats started to follow Thornclaw, until nearly the whole Clan was leaving the camp. Only Firestar, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Graystripe, Millie, Hazeltail, Echopaw, and the queens, kits, and Longtail remained.

"Why are they doing this?" Brambleclaw hissed. He whipped around to Firestar. "Firestar, why are you letting them do this?"

Firestar simply shook his head. "It's not like I could have stopped them."

Echopaw felt panicked. "I have to go!" She quickly ran out of the camp and after the rest of ThunderClan, with Hazeltail yowling in dismay after her.

**Well, that's it for now. I'll probably update the allegiances sometime soon...it depends when I feel like it. Anyway, I just want to say, read Thunder-Rose-74's stories!!!!! Her stories are awesomely awesome!!!!!**


	22. Chapter 20

**Well, review, I guess! You KNOW you WANT to... ;)**

Echopaw ran as fast as she could. The Clan must have been running, because no matter how fast she went, she couldn't seem to catch up.

As she crossed the WindClan border, she found Dapplepaw staring into the stream, obviously deep in thought.

"Dapplepaw!" Echopaw gasped, skidding to a halt.

Dapplepaw's head jerked up. "Oh, Echopaw."

"We have to stop them!" Echopaw yowled desperately. "They didn't steal Snowpaw, it was Snowpaw's choice!"

Dapplepaw slowly looked down again.

Echopaw had never seen Dapplepaw look so hopeless. "Dapplepaw, come on!" Echopaw cried. "We need to go stop them!"

Echopaw's heart sank as she heard Dapplepaw's next words. "I think they're right. I think they should go and get Snowpaw back."

"Dapplepaw..." Echopaw was at a loss for words.

"I miss my brothers," Dapplepaw burst out. "I want them back. You...you were always off doing your medicine cat thing. You were always so weak and fragile. You always seemed so much...younger. So, when you were still suckling Hazeltail, and when you hadn't even opened your eyes yet, it was always me. And Snowkit. And Silverkit. And when you were always with Jayfeather, learning to be a medicine cat, it was me. And Snowpaw. And probably Silverfire in spirit. They're my first memory. Squirming up against Hazeltail with two brothers at my side. I can't even remember you."

Echopaw understood. _I was probably on the other side of Snowpaw, _she thought. "Don't you want Snowpaw to be happy?" she pressed.

Dapplepaw nodded.

"Then we have to stop the battle!" A yowl tore across the moorland. "Come on!"

Dapplepaw jumped to her feet. "You're right," she meowed determinedly, and sprinted across WindClan territory, not heeding the law of staying within two tail-lengths of the lake.

Echopaw raced after her. It seemed like only a few seconds before they went through RiverClan territory. They charged across the wet marshes and reedy ponds, until finally they came upon the river that you leapt over into the camp.

Fighting had broke out. RiverClan cats were scuffling weakly, for ThunderClan had the element of surprise. Echopaw searched the throng of cats for Snowpaw, but to no avail.

Echopaw leaped into the fray, crying out, "Stop! Stop fighting!" But no one listened. The rage went on as though she weren't even there.

Echopaw saw Birchfall roll by with Robinflight. Grasswhisker was clawing at Berrynose. Blackclaw was taking on both Goldenpaw and Fogpaw.

A familiar white pelt came sprinting by. Snowpaw!

"Snowpaw!" Echopaw yowled, and jumped on top of him.

"Get off me!" Snowpaw hissed, kicking out his back legs and hitting Echopaw in the stomach. All the breath was knocked out of Echopaw.

"I need to help Petalfur!" Snowpaw caterwauled, slashing at Echopaw. His claws raked down her side.

"Snowpaw..." Echopaw mewed breathlessly. "Snowpaw, please. See reason."

Snowpaw's blue eyes were hard. "I don't care about reason. Love is the only thing I need."

Snowpaw ran after Petalfur, who was streaking toward the safety of the nursery.

A blaze of fury lit up in Echopaw. Snowpaw was being so unreasonable, and Petalfur was a....

"Coward!" Echopaw yowled. "Petalfur, you coward!"

Petalfur didn't turn around, but Snowpaw did. "_What _did you call her?" he hissed.

Echopaw stood her ground. "Coward," she mewed firmly. "And so are you."

Snowpaw lunged at Echopaw. _Whoever thought I'd be fighting my own brother? _Echopaw thought, but she didn't dwell on it. She was ThunderClan, he was RiverClan.

Echopaw sidestepped easily. Snowpaw crashed to the ground.

"That the best you got?" Echopaw taunted.

Snowpaw snarled and lunged again. This time she sidestepped and leaped around to his side, where she brought her claws through his thick white fur. Sad satisfaction came to her when his fur started to stain red.

Snowpaw leapt onto Echopaw's back, where his weight brought her crashing down. He clawed furiously, sending clumps of her fur flying. Echopaw felt the blood start to flow down her back. _I wasn't trying to be that damaging! _she thought desperately.

Echopaw heaved herself upward, and Snowpaw flew off. She glanced quickly at her back, and was dismayed to see it nearly bald and covered in blood. But she didn't feel any pain. She felt only rage.

Echopaw flew at Snowpaw with such speed that he didn't have time to prepare. She knocked him to the ground and raked her claws down his flank, but not down his belly, for that could cause major damage.

"Why aren't you hurting me?" Snowpaw yowled. "You're so weak!"

Echopaw just looked at him. "Because your my brother, and I love you," Echopaw meowed dully.

Snowpaw snarled with anger and threw her off. She collapsed to the ground, simply because she was so shocked at what her brother had become. Snowpaw stood over her. He raised his paw. "This is what you get," he hissed, and brought it down on the back of her neck, a usually fatal move.

Thoughts swirled through her head as she started to lose consciousness. _Lionblaze. Hazeltail. Dapplepaw. Silverfire. Hunting in the undergrowth. Swimming in the lake. Oh, Snowpaw, you aren't a murderer!_

**That seemed shorter to me...though how would I know? Anyway, I didn't put any time between this chapter and the last, so...review!!!!!!!**


	23. Chapter 21

**Thanks for all your reviews, but still, you must CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Echopaw jerked awake. _Where am I? Where _am _I?!_

The memory of Snowpaw, supposedly killing her, raced through her head like a mouse trying to escape a warrior's paws.

Echopaw took in her surroundings. It was a starry forest, with luscious green trees and springy moss and grass underpaw.

_I'm dead._

"Welcome, Echopaw," meowed a cool voice.

Echopaw spun around. "Hey, Spottedleaf," she meowed wearily. "Are you greeting me into your ranks?"

Spottedleaf's amber eyes glinted. "Not yet."

Echopaw's heart leapt with joy. "Really?"

Spottedleaf nodded.

Echopaw became confused. "But...I'm dead. How do I come back to life?"

Spottedleaf cocked her head. "You're not dead. Snowpaw didn't have enough strength to kill you. He just knocked you out pretty hard. But no, you're not dead."

"Why are you talking to me, then? I'm not a medicine cat apprentice anymore."

Spottedleaf nodded again. "Like I said you would never be."

Echopaw didn't feel like becoming angry at the snobbiness Spottedleaf seemed to be portraying.

"Well, then, why are you talking to me?"

"Just because you're now a warrior doesn't mean that you don't have to worry about falling in love."

Echopaw snorted. "Oh. This again. I've heard it, learned it, now I'm getting tired of listening to it. Just let me wake up now."

Spottedleaf sighed sadly. "Okay."

As the scene melted into blackness, Echopaw heard Spottedleaf's muttered words very faintly.

"...It's your death."

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Echopaw jolted. The battle still raged on around her, but more blood was spilled than before she had been knocked out.

"What will Snowpaw say?" she wondered aloud. All her fury and incredulousness had vanished, and now Echopaw was just left with a dull wonder of what Snowpaw had done.

Echopaw decided to try again to stop the fighting. "Stop the fighting!" she yowled halfheartedly. "There's no reason!"

To her surprise, the Clans seemed to listen to her. They broke apart, panting and bleeding.

Mistystar leapt up onto a large boulder. "Now, ThunderClan," she hissed ominously, "can you tell us what that attack was about?"

"RiverClan stole our apprentice!" Thornclaw yowled.

The RiverClan cats gasped.

Mistystar looked deeply offended. "How low do you think we've sunk, Thornclaw?" she growled. "We would never even dream of stealing an apprentice."

"Snowpaw would never leave his Clan on his own decision!" Spiderleg snarled. "He was loyal to ThunderClan!"

Echopaw knew it was time to break in. "He left on his own decision, I swear!" she yowled. "I saw him make it, and if he was still in ThunderClan, he wouldn't have attacked me!"

Now it was the ThunderClan cats' turn to gasp.

"It's true," Echopaw meowed softly. "He tried to kill me."

Now Mistystar just looked shocked. "He tried to kill you?"

"Yes," Echopaw meowed.

Mistystar paused, then meowed, "I wouldn't let any murderer into my Clan, anyway."

A yowl of despair ripped through the scene.

"No!" Snowpaw yowled, and at first Echopaw thought he was upset because Mistystar wouldn't let him join the Clan. But then she saw the dying cat next to him.

"Petalfur!" Snowpaw cried. "Petalfur, no! Don't leave me!"

A space widened around the two cats.

Petalfur gasped. Blood ran from a wound on her neck.

"Snowpaw..." she sighed. "Your kits are dying with me."

All the surrounding cats hissed in disbelief.

Snowpaw didn't seem to care. "They would have been beautiful," he soothed, licking her between the ears.

_What kind of sick, twisted world do we live in, _Echopaw thought, _where _apprentices_ have _kits _with _warriors?

Petalfur shuddered. Echopaw took in a sharp breath when a small bundle fell onto the ground.

_She looked so skinny...._

Willowshine rushed forward and removed the kit.

"There were two more," Petalfur gasped. "But they won't ever get a chance to see the world."

"Petalfur..." Snowpaw looked lost.

"I love you, Snowpaw!" Petalfur cried, then shuddered. She then lay limp, dead.

Snowpaw wailed. He buried his head in Petalfur's fur.

Echopaw suddenly noticed Firestar. _He must have come soon after me, _Echopaw thought.

"Snowpaw," he meowed, his voice tight with pain, "I don't believe you have a place in the Clans anymore."

Snowpaw hissed. "Fine! I don't need you! I have Petalfur, and my kit!" He picked up Petalfur's still bleeding body by the scruff, and began hauling her away from the RiverClan camp. "We'll have a better life than we ever could have in the Clans!" he screeched. "There will be no boundaries! It'll just be me, Petalfur, and our kit."

Echopaw made a conclusion. _Snowpaw's gone crazy. He can't be saved._

"My name is Snowpetal!" Snowpaw yowled. "This is our kit, Petalheart!"

Snowpaw dropped Petalfur's body and snatched the kit away from Willowshine. Echopaw noticed with alarm that it was actually alive.

Echopaw stood in front of Snowpaw. "I can't let you take that kit," she growled.

Snowpaw's eyes widened. A mad light danced in them that Echopaw hoped she would never see again. "_YOU_!" Snowpaw caterwauled. "You killed Petalfur! Because if YOU hadn't gotten in my way, SHE would still be alive!"

"I thought, Crazyface, that Petalfur was still alive in your eyes," Echopaw meowed calmly. Terrified RiverClan kits started to snicker.

Snowpaw screamed and launched himself at Echopaw, but Echopaw merely batted him away with one paw. She placed it on his neck, claws unsheathed.

"Listen, Loonybrain, or Nuttyhead, or whatever your name is," Echopaw growled, "You'll just kill your kit if you take...him or her."

"Her," Willowshine confirmed.

"Her," Echopaw meowed firmly. "So, go ahead and take your lover's body, and groom it and feed it as though she were alive. But I will _not _let you kill an innocent kit!"

Snowpaw snarled, and Echopaw saw the blood start to trickle. She let Snowpaw up, and Snowpaw picked up Petalfur's body. But suddenly, he dropped it, and picked up the kit and began to run.

"No!" Echopaw yowled desperately, but Snowpaw was far away.

Willowshine and Mothwing bowed their heads in grief. The rest of the cats joined them.

"We're sorry, Mistystar," Firestar apologized, "for the loss of your warrior. We didn't know that Crazy--I mean, Snowpaw, was actually..."

"It's fine," Mistystar meowed. "As long as none of my other warriors are dead."

No RiverClan or ThunderClan warriors were hurt beyond repair, so Mistystar forgave ThunderClan.

Echopaw and the rest of ThunderClan headed back to their territory after explaining the commotion to a curious WindClan patrol. Echopaw looked at the stars that started to gleam up above. _How can one's life be shattered by love?_

**That was...a weird chapter. Like, even I didn't understand it. But, I wanted to make SOME cat close to Echopaw go crazy, so that they could play a role in later chapters....And yes, Snowpaw's new name is actually Snowpetal. Because he named himself that. Ravenpaw's just being weird by keeping his name. If you leave the Clans, you can change your name, because StarClan loses you. Anyhoo, next chapter is an update of the allegiances. REVIEW!!!!!!!  
**


	24. Allegiances Updated

**VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Due to the fact that I'm really messed up at keeping time, some things are about to change. Okay. LISTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Echopaw was born three moons after Sunrise, at the beginning of newleaf. I may have said different things before, but now I'm changing it. It's now the newleaf after Echopaw's birth, which means she's one year old. Since some cats have been made warriors too early, I'm sending Doveflight and Ivyvine and behind back to apprentices. Also, when Doveflight and Ivyvine become warriors, Ivyvine will still be Ivyvine, but Doveflight will be Dovewing, because I just found out on Wikipedia that Dovewing is actually the chosen one, which I think is pretty stupid, but still...ANYWAY, there. Now, on with the allegiances!  
**

**ThunderClan**

Leader- Firestar

Deputy- Brambleclaw

Medicine Cat- Jayfeather

Warriors- Squirrelflight

Dustpelt

Apprentice, Dapplepaw

Sandstorm

Cloudtail

Apprentice, Smokepaw

Brackenfur

Sorreltail

Thornclaw

Apprentice, Dovepaw

Brightheart

Spiderleg

Birchfall

Apprentice, Goldenpaw

Graystripe

Apprentice, Fogpaw

Berrynose

Apprentice, Dewpaw

Mousewhisker

Cinderheart

Apprentice, Echopaw

Lionblaze

Apprentice, Ivypaw

Icestorm

Foxpelt

Toadspots

Millie

Whitewing

Smokefur

Dewleaf

Doveflight

Ivyvine

Queens- Ferncloud

Daisy; mother of Spiderleg's kit: Onekit; suckling Roseleaf's kits: Darkkit, Marshkit, Rosekit

Poppyfrost; mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Eaglekit, Emberkit

Elders- Longtail

**ShadowClan**

Leader- Blackstar

Deputy- Rowanclaw

Medicine Cat- Littlecloud

Apprentice, Flameheart

Warriors- Oakfur

Smokefoot

Ivytail

Toadfoot

Crowfrost

Kinkfur

Ratscar

Tawnypelt

Apprentice, Darkpaw

Tigerheart

Dawnlight

Olivebranch

Scorchfire

Redpelt

Shrewtail

Queens- Snowbird

Whitewater; mother of Crowfrost's kits: Coldkit, Longkit

Elders- Cedarheart

**WindClan**

Leader- Onestar

Deputy- Ashfoot

Medicine Cat- Kestrelwing

Warriors- Crowfeather

Owlwhisker

Whitetail

Nightcloud

Gorsetail

Weaselfur

Harespring

Dewspots

Apprentice, Sedgepaw

Willowclaw

Apprentice, Swallowpaw

Antpelt

Apprentice, Thistlepaw

Emberfoot

Breezepelt

Sunpelt

Queens- Heathertail; mother of Breezepelt's kits: Galekit, Flowerkit, Tabbykit

Elders- Webfoot

Tornear

**RiverClan**

Leader- Mistystar

Deputy- Reedwhisker

Medicine Cat- Mothwing

Apprentice, Willowshine

Warriors- Blackclaw

Apprentice, Bluepaw

Mosspelt

Beechfur

Rippletail

Graymist

Dawnflower

Pouncetail

Mintfur

Pinefur

Rainstorm

Duskfur

Minnowtail

Pebbleclaw

Robinflight

Copperpelt

Sneezenose

Mallowstripe

Beetlepelt

Grasswhisker

Prickleclaw

Icewing

Queens- Dapplenose

Otterheart; mother of Pouncetail's kits: Jumpkit, Dustkit, Wolfkit, Cloverkit

Elders- Heavystep

Swallowtail

**Cats Outside the Clans**

Snowpetal

Petalheart

**There you have it! No, Petalheart isn't dead...yet. Depends on my mood. If it's good, all the cats fall in love and live happily ever after. If it's bad, here comes the apocalypse. Right now I'm pretty happy, so Petalheart's still alive. Anyway, you don't necessarily have to review for this, since it was only the allegiances. Yeah, I'm getting pretty bored of the 100 Tales Challenge. It's hard when you're confined into one theme...I suppose.**

**~Wildshadow24  
**


	25. Chapter 22

**So...review. I wish I could be like Flareon200 and name all your names, but I'm too lazy. Gluttony is a terrible thing. Wait...is that gluttony? IDK, my BFF Jill. So...review.**

Echopaw felt as though her world had been torn to shreds. Her one brother was dead, and her other had gone crazy. Dapplepaw had fallen into depression, and no matter what any cat did, they couldn't cheer her up. Lionblaze seemed to grieve then move on, like Echopaw wished Hazeltail could. Hazeltail would just lie there and wail at random intervals, with Ferncloud always bustling over to tell her the sad story about how three of her kits died in the old forest.

Echopaw took her mind off of it by training with Cinderheart all the time. Cinderheart was getting worn out, but fighting was the only way Echopaw could show her distress and sadness without sitting down and wailing like Hazeltail.

After a quarter-moon, things finally seemed to be healing up. It was time for a Gathering, and Firestar still hadn't chosen his cats.

Dapplepaw sullenly padded up next to Echopaw. "I don't want to go," she meowed dully.

Echopaw nudged her. "Come on, Dapplepaw. You have to get over it and move on. There's going to be many more deaths than you can count in your life, and you just have to keep getting up and moving on."

Dapplepaw sighed. "I suppose so. Look, Firestar's getting onto the Highledge."

Echopaw looked up at the Highledge as Firestar yowled the summoning words. There was really no use to, as most of the Clan was gathered under it already.

"Tonight for the Gathering, I'd like to take Brackenfur, Brightheart, Squirrelflight, Graystripe, Birchfall, Whitewing, Mousewhisker, Toadspots, Icestorm, Bumblefoot, Goldenpaw, Dapplepaw, and Dovepaw."

Dapplepaw and Echopaw both hissed in annoyance.

The chosen cats all gathered by the entrance to the camp. Brambleclaw looked around, counting heads. Then he mewed, "Where's Dovepaw?"

"She might still be sleeping," Ivypaw called.

Brambleclaw sighed irritably. He looked around the remaining cats and saw Echopaw standing by the apprentices' den. "Echopaw, will you please go wake up Dovepaw?"

"Sure," Echopaw called, and went inside the den. It was empty, except for the fluffy gray ball of fur that was Dovepaw.

Echopaw was disturbed to see that Dovepaw was yowling softly and jerking in her sleep. Echopaw padded over to stand over Dovepaw, looking down at her. This seemed like a serious dream, maybe even one with StarClan.

_One with StarClan? Wasn't Ivypaw the other cat besides Lionblaze and Jayfeather._

Echopaw continued to stare at Dovepaw's twitching form. Had she been wrong?

Dovepaw cried out, and her eyes flew open. She took in Echopaw, and she relaxed visibly.

"Echopaw..." she meowed breathlessly. "I had this dream...with StarClan! They...they were telling me that I was in some sort of prophecy, with Lionblaze and Jayfeather..."

Echopaw stroked her tail tip along Dovepaw's flank, though her mind was whirling. "It's okay," she soothed.

"But...a prophecy!" Dovepaw fretted, leaping to her feet. "It must be hard to be in a prophecy!"

"It's okay," Echopaw repeated. "It's not hard. I'm in one, too."

Dovepaw gaped at her. "Really?"

Echopaw nodded. "_They see four, but it is three and one. The one shall rise...then fade like an echo_."

Dovepaw shook her head. "That sounds terrible."

Echopaw shrugged. "It doesn't mean I'm going to die. Prophecies often have double meanings."

"I hope that's what mine has," Dovepaw meowed worriedly. "Mine was talking about Firestar, and then it said, _There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. _Does that mean I'll be more powerful than StarClan?"

Echopaw shook her head, too. "But this isn't the time to dwell on that. You have to go to the Gathering."

Brambleclaw's voice came closer, meowing in annoyance.

"Go!" Echopaw urged, nudging her away. Dovepaw gave her one last fearful look, then sped out of the den.

Echopaw suddenly realized she was trembling. She sunk to the ground, thinking. _It's Dovepaw, not Ivypaw. It's Dovepaw. Dovepaw is part of a prophecy with my father and my uncle. They're going to be more powerful than StarClan._

_How?_

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The morning after the Gathering, Echopaw ran over to Dovepaw.

"What happened?" she panted. "I need to know!"

Dovepaw's blue eyed widened. "It was horrible," she meowed. "Firestar and Mistystar had to explain what happened with Snowpaw and Petalfur. WindClan was distraught that the Clan boundaries seemed to be melting away, while ShadowClan was snickering off in their own little corner." Dovepaw wrinkled her nose. "They're seeming to be becoming excessively cruel lately. They didn't even seem sad that Petalfur died."

Echopaw shook her head. "I don't know, really. It's so weird what's going on with them. Snaketail turned traitor, in a way, and now they seem to be really aggressive. I mean, really." Echopaw suddenly felt the need to tell Dovepaw everything. She lowered her voice. "Flameheart's even meeting Tigerstar in the dark forest!"

Dovepaw gasped. "Really?"

Echopaw nodded. "Tigerstar summoned me. And he was there, too."

Dovepaw squeaked. "Tigerstar summoned you?"

Echopaw nodded.

Dovepaw swung her head from side to side, as if Tigerstar was lurking in the shadows of the waking world. "What about Tigerheart and Dawnlight? They're his kin, too."

"I don't think Dawnlight is meeting him," Echopaw meowed thoughtfully. "She seems pretty independent and kind-hearted. Tigerheart I'm not so sure about."

Dovepaw and Echopaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile. They ate in silence, Dovepaw shooting wary glances at the sections of camp where the sun hadn't hit.

Echopaw got to her feet. "I'm going to go training with Cinderheart," she announced. "You can ask Thornclaw if you can come, too."

Dovepaw gulped down the rest of her mouse. "I think I will," she meowed, and bounded off towards the warriors' den.

Echopaw stared after her. She thought about the prophecies that circled them both, and had obviously brought them together.

Dovepaw came running back, with Thornclaw blearily stretching behind her. "He said okay," she informed Echopaw. "I woke Cinderheart up, too. She should be coming."

Thornclaw came over to the two she-cat apprentices. "So, you want to train together?" he asked. Both she-cats nodded. He looked at Dovepaw. "Well, I think that your warrior ceremony should be coming up soon. How about we assess you both?"

Dovepaw and Echopaw looked at each other. "Sounds good," they meowed simultaneously.

Then Echopaw asked, "Where's Cinderheart?"

Thornclaw looked back at the medicine cat's den. "She has a belly ache. She's going to be in Jayfeather's den for a while."

Echopaw wondered why Cinderheart always seemed to be in Jayfeather's den. Surely she didn't love Jayfeather?

"Let's go," Thornclaw meowed.

"Wait!"

Ivypaw came leaping over, Lionblaze staggering sleepily after her. "Lionblaze said we can go out, too," she meowed excitedly.

Dovepaw looked at her sister, and Echopaw could see her longing to pour it all out right then and there. But Echopaw knew that Thornclaw couldn't hear, and maybe Lionblaze wasn't ready to know.

"Good," Thornclaw meowed matter-of-factly. "Okay. Ivypaw, hunt by the WindClan border. Dovepaw can take the Sky Oak and around there, and Echopaw can go to the ShadowClan border."

The three apprentices bade luck to each other, then set off in her direction.

It seemed like no time had passed when Echopaw reached the ShadowClan border. Opening her jaws to catch scent, she smelled a squirrel, a rabbit, and...

Tigerheart and Flameheart.

Echopaw sighed. "I can smell you."

Tigerheart and Flameheart came out from the bracken of ShadowClan's territory.

"We weren't hiding," Tigerheart protested weakly.

"Why would you be hiding?" Echopaw meowed wearily.

Tigerheart shuffled his paws. "We wanted to scare an unsuspecting ThunderClan warrior."

"You sound like an apprentice."

"You are an apprentice."

Echopaw sighed. "I'm having an assessment, so bye, okay?"

"I was never into this idea," Flameheart meowed, but Echopaw could tell that it was his idea in the first place.

"Mouse-brains," she growled playfully. "Now, I have a squirrel to hunt. Bye." She started stalking away.

"Bye."

She froze, looking at Tigerheart out of the corner of her eye. He was being awfully annoying. She continued on. Then she heard Tigerheart and Flameheart squabbling behind her, so she stole back and clawed silently up a tree, looking down on the scene.

"It was your fault," Flameheart meowed bluntly.

"No, it was yours, being so anti-social," Tigerheart hissed.

"Wait...why did you even come, anyway?" Flameheart looked at Tigerheart suspiciously.

"Same reason you did." Tigerheart unsheathed his claws.

Flameheart's eyes widened. "How...how did you know?" His mew was shaky.

Tigerheart snorted. "It's pretty obvious."

Flameheart shook his head. "It wouldn't work, though. For neither of us. It's against the warrior code."

Tigerheart's head drooped. "I can't stop, though," he whispered.

Echopaw moved closer, and her foot snapped a twig. Flameheart's and Tigerheart's ears pricked.

"What was that?" Flameheart whispered.

"We better go," Tigerheart murmured. The two shapes, dark brown tabby and flaming ginger, disappeared into the brush.

Echopaw cursed, and slid down the tree. Were Tigerheart and Flameheart two other cats who had forbidden feelings? Who could they be about? Blossomflower? Briarthorn? Dovepaw? Ivypaw? Dapplepaw? The possibilities went on.

Echopaw killed a squirrel, two voles, and a mouse. She took her load back to camp, where Thornclaw and Lionblaze were muttering worriedly to each other. Dovepaw and Ivypaw were eating a huge squirrel that Ivypaw was boasting she caught.

When Thornclaw saw Echopaw, he bumped Lionblaze on the shoulder, and they both stopped talking.

"Well done, Echopaw," Thornclaw meowed, slightly forced. "You can go and eat with Dovepaw and Ivypaw now."

Echopaw nodded, then dropped her fresh-kill on the pile and went over to Dovepaw and Ivypaw.

Dovepaw meowed something, and Ivypaw's eyes widened in unease. "Another one?"

Dovepaw nodded, then looked up at Echopaw. Echopaw looked at Dovepaw hard. "Another one of what?"

Dovepaw shifted. "Um...you know that dream?"

"You've had it before?" Echopaw burst out angrily.

"Yes," Dovepaw meowed smally. "Just a little after I became an apprentice they started, then continued after that."

Echopaw blew out a noisy breath. "Why didn't you tell me? I was the medicine cat's apprentice for some time, you know."

Dovepaw shrank back from her gaze. "It seemed better to...keep it secret."

Echopaw couldn't stay mad at her friend. She sank to the ground and began devouring a vole. "I'm not mad," she mumbled.

Dovepaw looked relieved, and Ivypaw began studying her sister again. "What _is _your power, though?"

"I'm not sure." Dovepaw looked around. "They said that I should have it now. I'm just...not sure what it would be."

"Well, let's think of your traits that exceed that of a normal cat." Echopaw settled into the ground and thought hard.

"You're good at hunting," Ivypaw meowed.

"Yeah, but you're better than me," Dovepaw argued, "so that can't be it."

"Well, let's think of what Lionblaze and Jayfeather can do." Echopaw winced as Lionblaze pricked his ears in their direction, so she lowered her voice even more. "Lionblaze has always been the best fighter of the Clan. The best fighter I've ever seen before, and he never seems to get hurt. That must mean something."

"What can Jayfeather do?" Ivypaw pressed.

Echopaw thought hard about her apprenticeship with Jayfeather. "Sometimes, when he sleeps...his breathing matches that of another cat. And...they both do the exact same movements. Like, one time, when Cinderheart was in the den, she twitched, and he did it in the exact same way, at the exact same time."

"So what would that mean?"

Ivypaw's question made Echopaw think harder. "Well, if they're doing the same thing, wouldn't that mean that..."

"They were thinking the same thing!" Dovepaw interrupted. "Of course! Jayfeather must be able to..."

"Walk in other cats' dreams," Ivypaw finished. Then they both looked at Dovepaw. "Well, then. If Lionblaze is undefeatable in battle, and Jayfeather can walk in dreams, what could we compare that to?"

"Hollyleaf," Echopaw meowed suddenly. Dovepaw and Ivypaw looked at her. "They thought Hollyleaf was the last of the Three. Three, right?" Dovepaw nodded. "The Three. But she wasn't, though StarClan thought she was. Right?" Again, Dovepaw nodded. "So, what Dovepaw can do must be close to what Hollyleaf was good at, except better. A real power, not just a regular cat thing."

"How would we find out about Hollyleaf?" Ivypaw asked.

Echopaw looked at them both grimly. "We'll have to ask the one who knows her best."

"Lionblaze?" Dovepaw suggested.

"Jayfeather?" Ivypaw meowed.

Echopaw paused, then mewed, "Leafpool."

**Oh, gosh. They're going to search for Leafpool? How terrible that will turn out! Well, you'll just have to keep tuning in to discover what happens! Oh, and about Tigerheart and Flameheart, I didn't mean for their names to have the same endings. They just did. But at least it's -heart, not something boring, like -fur. Hence, Bluefur (Bluestar) and Snowfur (Whitestorm's mother), who were sisters. I wonder why Sunstar did that? Anyway, here's a little summary-like thing, maybe you might call it that, about the following chapters.**

**_Echopaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw set off on a journey to find Leafpool so she can tell them about Hollyleaf, which may help the three apprentices guess what Dovepaw's power is. Meanwhile, a force that still haunts the minds of many Clan cats comes back, searching for the cat that destroyed their life..._**

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
**


	26. Chapter 23

**Well, thanks for all the reviews, people!!!!!!! I've realized I've never put any disclaimers on this story--at least, I think I haven't--so I'll put one on here now.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, the apocalypse would come twice a day, while Honeyfern and Berrynose lived in a mystical fluffy dreamland where they could raise a family and live happily ever after. So, you can see that if I owned Warriors, Warriors would not be successful, which in turn means that this fanfic wouldn't exist. So. I think it's pretty clear that I don't own Warriors, don't you think?**

"We're really going to do this?" Ivypaw gasped, looking up at the stars in the cool newleaf air.

Echopaw nodded. "We have to. To help Dovepaw, and the Clans. If she's truly going to be more powerful than StarClan, I think she has a right to know why."

"Shouldn't we have told Firestar about these dreams long ago?" Ivypaw meowed.

"Lionblaze and Jayfeather haven't," Echopaw retorted, "so why should Dovepaw?"

"Well, shouldn't we have told Lionblaze and Jayfeather?" Ivypaw tried.

"They'll find out soon enough," Echopaw mewed. "Now, let's find Dovepaw."

Dovepaw had been sent out to catch prey for them before the journey. Echopaw hoped it only took a few days, but she wasn't sure where Leafpool was. She could be moons away, because she hadn't been seen around the Clans after that incident during the battle.

"You'll need traveling herbs."

Echopaw and Ivypaw froze. Behind them, Onekit padded over with three traveling herb wraps in his jaws. He set one down in front of Echopaw and two in front of Ivypaw.

"Onekit! How did you know?" Echopaw hissed.

Onekit shrugged. "I didn't. I just heard you three talking about leaving somewhere, so I decided I'd help."

Echopaw sniffed the wraps. "Next time, have a little more borage." She ate the wrap, shuddering as the bitter herbs slid down her throat.

Onekit dipped his head. "Okay, I'll do that. It was just hard sneaking them away from Jayfeather."

"That reminds me, has Jayfeather accepted you as his apprentice?"

"Yeah. He says that with a little practice, I'll be as good as you."

Echopaw felt pleased that Jayfeather thought she had been a good apprentice. "Well, Onekit, I'm sorry. But we really can't tell you the reason for this journey."

Onekit cocked his head. "I understand. I knew you wouldn't, anyway." He gave a sharp glance at Ivypaw. "Ivypaw, eat your burdock. Dovepaw doesn't need any more."

Embarrassed, Ivypaw slid out a burdock root that had been hastily stuffed in Dovepaw's wrap and ate it sheepishly.

Just then, Dovepaw came back into camp through the dirtplace tunnel. They quietly ate as Ivypaw explained to Dovepaw what Onekit had done. Dovepaw nodded in gratitude, and ate the wrap, gagging a few times but managing it all down.

Echopaw looked at the night sky, which was fading from a pitch black to a navy blue. "We should get going. Dawn's not far off."

The two kits of Whitewing and Birchfall nodded determinedly.

"Thanks, Onekit," Echopaw meowed, nuzzling her half-uncle. "You really helped."

Onekit swelled in pride.

Ivypaw gulped. "Well. Here we go, I guess."

Echopaw nodded. Then she paused. "I just have a feeling. Maybe...we should stop at the Moonpool before we go."

Dovepaw and Ivypaw looked at her, puzzled. "Why?" Dovepaw asked. "Wouldn't StarClan just try to stop us?"

Echopaw shook her head. "I just...think we should."

Ivypaw shrugged. "If you think so..."

Dovepaw shrugged, too. "I don't really think it's a good idea..."

"We should," Echopaw meowed, more firmly than she felt. "We have to go."

"Bye," Onekit murmured softly.

"Bye."

**That was shorter, and just kind of a filler chapter, to get to the Moonpool idea thing. Dunno why I want them to go to the Moonpool yet...I suppose I'll figure that out next chapter. Review, please!**

**~Wildshadow24  
**


	27. Chapter 24

**Thanks for all your kind reviews! But you must review EVEN MORE...DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Echopaw bent down over the Moonpool. She looked over at Dovepaw and Ivypaw and realized they didn't know what to do.

"Drink from the Moonpool," she meowed.

The sisters looked confused, but then watching as Echopaw licked up a few icy drops, they mimicked her, and then settled down to sleep.

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Echopaw looked around StarClan's forest. She still didn't know why she had wanted to go to the Moonpool. Next to her, Dovepaw and Ivypaw appeared, looking bewildered.

"This is the place where I have my dreams!" Dovepaw exclaimed.

"Wow," Ivypaw breathed.

"Hello."

Echopaw spun around, and her heart filled with joy. "Silverkit!"

"Actually, it's Silverfire," Silverfire purred. Then he looked at Echopaw suspiciously. "Why are you here?"

Echopaw shrugged. "I...don't know."

"Oh." Silverfire sat down, and his tail curled neatly around his paws. "How's Snowpaw?"

Echopaw gaped at him. "You mean...you really don't know?"

Now Silverfire shrugged. "No. All I know...is that something bad happened."

_Maybe this is why I came._

"Well, Silverfire..." Echopaw told him the whole story of what happened to Snowpaw, or Snowpetal.

Silverfire's eyes widened. "That bad?"

Echopaw nodded.

"Wow." Silverfire layed down, and put his tail over his nose. Echopaw had to hand him credit for not breaking down after the sad story.

Then he stood up. "You should be going on your journey."

"You know _that, _but you don't know what happened to Snowpetal?" Echopaw meowed doubtfully.

Silverfire averted his eyes. "Okay, I knew. But I could tell that you needed to talk it out."

Echopaw realized he was right, and gave his starry ear a lick. "You saved my life," she whispered.

"Any cat would have done the same," Silverfire meowed, looking up at her. "You've got a great destiny ahead of you, Echopaw, and if you died, it would be more terrible than you could imagine."

Echopaw was stunned. She was that important?

"That's why I saved you. Because StarClan spoke to me. They told me...to sacrifice myself for you."

Echopaw looked through the glowing forest. StarClan was that cruel? To tell one cat to kill himself for another?

Silverfire guessed what she was thinking. "It's not as bad as you think," he reassured. "It wasn't just our lives at stake. It...was the fate of the Clans."

Dovepaw and Ivypaw gaped. Echopaw looked around frantically. "No...I'm just a regular apprentice!" she insisted. "Dovepaw is the special one!"

"That is true," Silverfire meowed, looking at Dovepaw, "that Dovepaw is special. But you're no regular apprentice either, I can tell you that. Now, you have to leave. Before the others get here."

The forest started to fade. Silverfire watched them, his gaze like that of a much older cat's. His voice whispered through Echopaw's ears as he vanished himself.

"Tell Dapplepaw not to grieve for Snowpaw."

Surprised, Echopaw told him back, "She's not grieving anymore. Well...just a little. But she seemed better when we left."

"Echopaw, you have to stop looking past the outside...and get to the inside..."

Echopaw was blinking awake at the side of the Moonpool.

**That was REALLY short! I just missed Silverfire, and I wanted him to tell them something philosophical before they went. I didn't actually want to kill Silverfire, I just thought that that would be a dramatic way to end a chapter. "Where's Snowkit and Silverkit?" It would be quite boring if you said, "They're both okay. They're just sleeping in the nursery." Now, how much more dramatic does it seem if you say THIS? "Snowkit is sleeping. Silverkit is dead." It's like, WHOA! Well, I'm blabbering just to make this longer. Please, just review.  
**


	28. Chapter 25

**YET AGAIN, thanks for all your amicable, philanthropic, benevolent, altruistic, eleemosynary words. Basically, thanks for reviews.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own every Warriors book that the Erins have released. I write dozens of fanfics on and off of fanfiction, I make big cat Clans on Zoo Tycoon, I stare at every cat and think, _Hm. When I grow up, I'm going to buy tons of cats and put them in four seperate cages. Then I'll see how they breed, and I'll give them all kit/apprentice/warrior/medicine cat/leader names. _Call that dedication? But it means nothing to the Erins. Yet. When they die, it's going to be a huge fight over who gets to own the Warrior copyright...children of Vicky, Cherith, and Kate, prepare yourselves.**

Echopaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw traveled through the scrubby moorland past WindClan territory. Dovepaw and Ivypaw were surprised to find Leafpool's scent close by, but Echopaw had been expecting that. Leafpool hadn't been able to bear to travel too far from the Clans she loved.

Leafpool's scent grew stronger and stronger.

"I suppose we're not going to be gone as long as we thought," Ivypaw meowed nervously. Dovepaw nodded, her fluffy gray fur bristling.

"Who are you?" a voice rasped.

The three ThunderClan apprentices squinted at the rocky cave in front of them. It smelled like Leafpool had been living there for moons, fifteen moons, which had been how long she had been away from ThunderClan.

Echopaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw stepped forward hesitantly. "I'm Ivypaw," Ivypaw meowed haltingly, "daughter of Whitewing and Birchfall, with my sister Dovepaw."

"And I'm Echopaw," Echopaw introduced, "daughter of Hazeltail and Lionblaze."

At the name Lionblaze, a tabby and white shape flew out of the cave and in front of the apprentices. "Lionblaze?" Leafpool meowed hopefully. "Is he here?"

"Er, no," Echopaw meowed, "it's just me. His daughter."

Leafpool sniffed Echopaw, making her shrink back. "Hmph," she grunted, "I have something to tell you. But not right now. Later. So, Dovekit and Ivykit? I remember when you were born. Thought your mother was going to die. Lovely she didn't."

Dovepaw's eyes were wide. "Um, okay," Ivypaw mewed.

"Listen," Echopaw persisted, "I know that it may seem strange, but we need to ask you an important question."

Leafpool snorted. "I've got the rest of my prolonged life to answer questions. Go ahead."

"What was Hollyleaf like?"

Leafpool frozed. She whipped around so that she was facing Echopaw in particular. "Hollyleaf? _Hollyleaf?!_"

Dovepaw cowered behind her sister as Ivypaw stood her ground, trembling.

"Hollyleaf," Echopaw confirmed, trying to stop her paws from shaking.

Leafpool looked at the stars, her amber eyes blazing. "Hollyleaf. She was the most wonderful she-cat. She was white like snow, with dark green eyes that twinkled like a star. She could capture the heart of any tom, no doubt. Hollyflower--"

"Holly_leaf_," Echopaw corrected. "We want to know about Holly_leaf_."

Leafpool stared at her. "Oh. Well, she tried to kill me."

"Lovely," Ivypaw meowed.

"Who's Hollyflower, anyway?" Dovepaw squeaked.

Leafpool turned her gaze to Dovepaw. "She's right over there, of course," Leafpool meowed, gesturing with her tail to a spot a few fox-lengths from the three apprentices. No cat was anywhere near them.

Echopaw cleared her throat. "Well, what was Hollyleaf like?"

Leafpool's eyes blazed again. "Hollyleaf. She was a wonderful she-cat, but when she found out her parentage, her heart was darkened by useless guilt and anger. Her fur was as black as night, and she had leaf-green eyes that burned like fire. She was a great fighter, a great hunter, but most of all, she was dedicated to the warrior code like no cat before her. Which was why when she found out a medicine cat was her mother and a WindClan tom was her father, she went crazy. She tried to feed me deathberries, and she said I deserved to die. But since my life was causing me more agony than StarClan or the Place of No Stars ever could, she let me pass. Then, I watched in horror as she ran into some underground tunnels, and they collapsed on her." Leafpool's eyes misted. "I still loved her, though. Frantic, I searched through the collapsed tunnel as well as I could. I found a hole between some rocks where she might have been able to live, but I couldn't reach inside." Leafpool looked down. "I pray to StarClan every day that she's still alive."

Ivypaw was growing impatient. "Touching. But what was she _like_? Maybe, what could she _do _better than any cat you'd ever seen before?"

Leafpool cocked her head. "Well, she _adored _the warrior code. And she was smarter than most of ThunderClan, what with her clean and almost inconspicuous kill of Ashfur."

"Smart!" Echopaw snapped. "I got it! Dovepaw, your gift must be intelligence!"

"But, I don't _feel _intelligent," she whimpered. "I just feel like a normal apprentice. Oh, Ivypaw, why can't _you _be the chosen one?"

Ivypaw looked at her sister hard. "That would be awesome," she meowed. "But StarClan chose you, Dovepaw, for a reason. I would trade spots with you any day, but that's not the way it was meant to be. Now, you've got to start taking care of things yourself, and not always hiding behind other cats. Now go." Ivypaw gestured to Leafpool. "Talk to Leafpool. Tell her about the prophecy. You've got to do it yourself, because the prophecy is about _you, _not me or Echopaw."

Dovepaw looked at her sister, then stepped forward to Leafpool. "But she's crazy!" she whispered back to Ivypaw.

"I'm right here, you know!" Leafpool meowed, annoyed. Ivypaw shrugged. "Now, come on, Dovepaw, and tell me about this prophecy. Do you mind if Hollyflower listens, too?"

Dovepaw winced. "Um, I'd rather it be private."

"Very well." Leafpool turned to a space of empty air. "Sorry, Hollyflower. Not today." Then she and Dovepaw walked off to the cave together, Dovepaw shooting worried glances behind her all the time.

"Nice speech, Ivypaw," Echopaw approved.

Ivypaw shrugged. "She's always been so shy. And untalkative. It starts to get to you."

Echopaw looked after Leafpool. "She's crazy," she meowed, "but I wonder what she was like before she had kits, and was weighed down with guilt and love?"

Ivypaw shrugged. "I don't know. Wow, that was quick. Look, they're already coming back."

Echopaw looked, and Dovepaw and Leafpool were coming toward them, Dovepaw's fur standing on end.

The sky was darkening. Leafpool looked up at it, and meowed, "Okay, I think you should rest here for tonight, then head back to your Clan. Now, I have something to tell Echopaw."

Echopaw started, then looked at Leafpool. "What would that be?"

Leafpool drank in her scent again, then meowed, "Yes, I know I'm right now. I wouldn't mistake anything for his scent, even on his 'kits.' Echopaw, you're not the daughter of Lionblaze and Hazeltail."

Echopaw's heart stopped for a moment. She leapt to her feet. "_WHAT?!_" she screeched. "Of course I am!"

Leafpool shook her head. "No. You're not. You're--"

Suddenly, two shapes melted out of the shadows of the trees. One was as white as snow.

Fear jolted in Echopaw. _Is Hollyflower real?_

The other shape joined it. It was as black as night. Two pairs of eyes, one sky blue and one leaf green, stared out at them menacingly.

Echopaw gasped. "Snowpaw!"

Leafpool choked. "Hollyleaf."

**WHOA. What did I just do? That all wasn't supposed to happen...yet. But too late, I suppose. I don't feel like changing it, so there you have it. Review, if you please. Tell me if you saw _that _coming, and then I'll work on my inconspicuousness. So...'kay.**


	29. Chapter 26

**STILL, thanks for reviews...*names names*...anyway, read on! I'm sure you're all DYING to know what happens!**

Thoughts swirled through Echopaw's head. _Snowpaw. Hollyleaf. I'm not Lionblaze and Hazeltail's kit?_

Leafpool drank in the air. "You. Snowpaw? You're Lionblaze's son, aren't you?"

Echopaw's heart dropped. So it wasn't just her and her siblings. It was only her. Silverfire, Snowpaw, and Dapplepaw were all Lionblaze and Hazeltail's.

"Snowpaw..." Echopaw's voice cracked. "Oh, Snowpaw."

"It's Snow_petal_," came the voice from Snowpaw's body.

Echopaw couldn't believe it. Her brother...her sweet brother Snowpaw...was now not her brother, and he had gone crazy. His life had been doomed the day he met Petalfur.

Two more pairs of eyes appeared, one dark blue and one leaf green like Hollyleaf's. "Hollyleaf, is this her?"

"Yes," Hollyleaf hissed, unsheathing her claws. "Leafpool."

The two cats came out into the light. They seemed between the age of the sisters and Echopaw. The one with blue eyes was a tom, and they were black like Hollyleaf. The one with green eyes was a she-cat, and it was gray with darker flecks. On the she-cat's back was a little kit that Echopaw recognized.

"Petalheart!" she gasped.

Snowpetal cackled. "Yes. That is my daughter, Echopaw. And now, Echopaw, it is time for my revenge. Revenge on you, who killed my love."

Petalheart wailed.

"Shut up!" Snowpetal snapped, and brought his paw down on the kit's head. The kit slumped over, barely breathing.

"It is time for my revenge, too, Leafpool," Hollyleaf growled. "You. Who mated against the code."

"But if I never mated with Crowfeather, you wouldn't exist!" Leafpool insisted.

Hollyleaf didn't hesitate. "Ones who disobey the code don't deserve to live!" she snarled, and flew at Leafpool. At the same time, Snowpetal came at Echopaw, and the two other cats dropped the unconscious Petalheart, and the she-cat leapt at Dovepaw as the tom leapt at Ivypaw.

It was a flurry of fur and blood. Echopaw couldn't even tell what was going on. Snowpetal clawed her side, drawing bright red blood from the gray tabby body. Echopaw hissed and jumped on Snowpetal's back, not even caring anymore that she had loved him as a brother. He abused kits. He mated with a cat from another Clan as an _apprentice, _and then went crazy. He shouldn't be anywhere near the Clans.

"Die!" Snowpetal screeched. "You deserve to die, then be condemned to the Place of No Stars! No, even _worse _than the Place of No Stars!"

"No, Snowpetal," Echopaw hissed as she tore out a clump of fur from his flank. "That's you."

Snowpetal screamed, and leapt on Echopaw's back. Echopaw rolled over, crushing him beneath her, and then flipped over. Snowpetal raked his claws along her belly, but not hard enough to cause too much damage. Echopaw did the same to him. Snowpetal slipped out from under Echopaw and leaped at her, flailing his paws at the her head. He struck her hard, and she grew dizzy. Yowling in triumph, Snowpetal hit his paw at the back of her neck, the same way he tried to kill her before. It was weak, though, and Echopaw shook her head and stepped back.

"You've lost your touch, Snowpetal," she meowed breathlessly. "You need to get back in shape."

Snowpetal came at her again, and this time she sidestepped and brought her claws along his side. Snowpetal fell to the ground. Echopaw placed her one paw on his neck.

Snowpetal looked up at her and growled. "You wouldn't kill your own brother, would you?" he sneered. "You're too weak. You feel too much kinmanship."

Echopaw didn't want to kill Snowpetal. She knew it was unjust to kill cats when it wasn't necessary. But maybe, she thought with a jolt, it _was _necessary? What trouble would Snowpetal cause in the future? She made up her mind.

"Sorry, Snowpetal," she whispered sadly. "But I'm not your sister." She dug her claws into his throat and tore it out.

Snowpetal's blood stained the scrubby grass. He gurgled, and his eyes glazed.

"I'm sorry," Echopaw murmured. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Snowpetal shuddered, and he died. Echopaw thought she saw a wisp of smoke rise from his body.

She looked on to the fighting cats before her. Dovepaw and Ivypaw were holding their own, but Leafpool was pinned down, and Hollyleaf was standing over her.

"You ruined my life!" Hollyleaf yowled, hysteria creeping into her voice. "I just wanted to be a loyal warrior! But _you ruined my life_!"

"Hollyleaf," Leafpool croaked. "It doesn't have to be this way. Kill me if you want to. I'd do anything to make you happy. But I know that this isn't the way you want to live. Go back to the Clans. Start over. Do that for me. Do it for Lionblaze and Jayfeather." She spared a glance towards the two cats fighting Dovepaw and Ivypaw. "Do it for your kits."

Echopaw let escape a hiss of surprise.

Hollyleaf shook her head, genuine sadness in her eyes. "They'd never let me back," she breathed. "They wouldn't. And I don't think I could bear to go back. To the place...where I did so much wrong." She choked. "Ashfur, I'm sorry. I hope you're proud of your kits. Yours and mine."

Echopaw's eyes widened. _The cats were Hollyleaf and Ashfur's kits?_

"But they should have a chance." Hollyleaf looked at her kits. "They deserve one." She looked at Leafpool. "I can't do it," she whispered. She stepped off of Leafpool, who gasped for air.

"Berry! Ash!" she snapped at her kits. They immediately stopped fighting and were at her side. Dovepaw and Ivypaw were bleeding and breathing heavily, but none of their wounds looked fatal.

"What?" the tom Ash hissed. "We nearly had them!"

"No, you didn't!" Ivypaw retorted hotly.

Hollyleaf looked down on her kits with love in her eyes. "I've had a change of heart," she meowed. "You're going to live with the Clans."

Both cats let out yowls of protest.

Hollyleaf put her tail on each of their heads. "You listen to me," she meowed sternly. "The Clans are where you should have been born and raised. Instead, I was a mouse-brain. I...killed your father."

Berry gasped and stepped away from her mother. "Why?" Ash cried. "Why did you take us away? Why did you kill Ashfur?"

Hollyleaf sighed. "Sit, and I'll tell you the story."

Both kits immediately sat.

"Ashfur was about to reveal a secret. A secret I didn't want anyone to know--that Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and I weren't Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw's kits. So I killed him. The warrior code meant too much to me. Then I found out that Leafpool, a medicine cat, and Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior, were our parents. I lost my mind with anger and grief. I told everyone at the Gathering that they were our parents. Then I tried to kill Leafpool with deathberries, but I decided not to. Then, it happened. I felt the kits stir inside me. I realized that it would be too dangerous for me to have Ashfur's kits in the Clan, so I went to hide in the tunnels. They collapsed on me, but I survived. I went out past Clan territory, had you, and raised you to hate the Clans. But just now, my mind has cleared. I know now what I have to do, and that's to send you back to the Clan where you belong."

Berry wailed, and Ash studied his paws.

Hollyleaf looked at Snowpetal's body. "And you should take Petalheart with you. She is Petalkit now. And you, Ash and Berry, are Ashpaw and Berrypaw."

"I don't want to be Berrypaw," Berry meowed stubbornly. "I want to be Berry, and stay here with you."

Hollyleaf licked her head. "No, little Berrypaw," she meowed kindly. "You belong in ThunderClan." Hollyleaf looked around. "Goodbye. Ashpaw, Berrypaw, I love you." Hollyleaf seemed to vanish with the wind.

Leafpool let out a sad, raspy purr. "Hollyleaf. I knew you would make the right decision."

"So, are you coming with us?" Dovepaw asked quietly.

Ash let out a huff, but Berry meowed, "Yes. It was our mother's wish. We have to, Ash. I mean, Ashpaw. I'm Berrypaw."

Ash looked at Berrypaw, wistfulness in his eyes. "And I'm Ashpaw."

"You better be getting back to the Clan," Leafpool meowed gently. "Take Petalkit with you."

The five apprentices nodded, and Dovepaw gently picked up Petalkit in her jaws.

"Goodbye, Leafpool," Dovepaw meowed. She looked at the sky. "I wish I could have talked to Hollyleaf. She knew about the prophecy. She could've helped me."

"Oh, so you're the last of the prophecy?" Berrypaw asked excitedly. "Hollyleaf always wondered who the third of the prophecy was."

"We didn't totally understand it, though," Ashpaw admitted.

"Neither do we," Echopaw meowed. Then she looked at Leafpool. "If Lionblaze isn't my father, then who is?"

Leafpool looked at her gravely. "You should find that out for yourself."

Echopaw felt sick. It must be terrible if Leafpool wasn't telling her.

"Bye," Echopaw called as they walked away. Suddenly having an idea, she called, "Bye, Hollyflower!"

"Hollyflower?" Leafpool meowed, looking around. "Who's Hollyflower?"

Feeling at least a little satisfied, Echopaw turned toward her two best friends and her three new Clanmates.

**That actually had a slight satisfying ending. DANGIT! I know that Hollyflower was a cat from Cats of the Clans, but I just sort of did it. There could be two cats with the same name, though. Like Ashfur the ThunderClan maniac and Ashfur the ShadowClan elder. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL, REVIEW!!!!!!!!**


	30. Chapter 27

**STILL thanking...STILL thanking...**

"You had me so worried!"

Echopaw was bowled over by Hazeltail.

"Hazeltail..." Echopaw meowed, anger and sadness bubbling up inside of her. Hazeltail had been her mother. All that had changed what seemed like moments ago, when Leafpool growled, "You're not Lionblaze's daughter."

Hazeltail glanced back at Dovepaw and Ivypaw, who were being scolded by Birchfall, Whitewing, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather.

"Why does Lionblaze seem to care more about them than his own daughter?" Hazeltail murmured. More feelings surged forward in the pit of Echopaw's stomach.

Then Hazeltail looked up at Firestar's den, where Ashpaw and Berrypaw were being judged. Poppyfrost had taken Petalkit into the nursery for suckling. Petalkit didn't even need judgment because she was only a little kit.

Hazeltail covered Echopaw with furious licks. "Oh, Echopaw, I was so worried. I only have two of my kits left..."

_One, _Echopaw thought bitterly. _You only had three in the first place._

The prophecy was beginning to make sense now. _They see four, but it is three and one. _Everyone thought that Hazeltail had four kits. But no. She had three, and one extra who came from...who knows where. _The one shall rise... _That must mean that Echopaw would rise to power somehow. _...And fade like an echo. _She would fade. That part still bothered Echopaw. It obviously meant her, because of _echo. _But she would fade...Echopaw shook off the worry. Prophecies often had double meanings.

Echopaw was afraid that Lionblaze wouldn't know she wasn't his daughter. Hazeltail was the only cat she could know for sure about. So she pushed Hazeltail away and meowed, "Hazeltail...could I talk to you in private?"

Hazeltail looked confused. "Well, okay..."

Echopaw led Hazeltail through the forest, until they came to the abandoned Twoleg den. There, Echopaw turned to face Hazeltail.

"Hazeltail," she meowed, "I know the truth now."

Hazeltail's eyes widened, then meowed, not covering her panic, "The truth about what?"

Echopaw sunk her claws into the ground. "I'm not your daughter."

Hazeltail looked away and shifted. "Who told you?"

"Leafpool. She could tell that Lionblaze wasn't my father."

"Lionblaze doesn't know," Hazeltail whispered. "I guess you'll want to tell him. And you'll want to know who your real parents are."

Echopaw had already pieced it all together. "I already know."

Hazeltail shook her head. "I can't bear to tell Lionblaze. I just can't. Please. Tell him for me."

Echopaw pressed up against Hazeltail, which obviously caught her by surprise. "I still love you," she meowed seriously. "You're still my mother to me."

Hazeltail looked down at her tenderly. "I love you like you're my own kit. I had to keep the secret though. You understand, don't you? We don't want another...incident."

Echopaw nodded wisely.

Hazeltail sighed. "Go find Lionblaze. I'm sure he'll still be off scolding Dovepaw and Ivypaw. I don't understand. I know Ivypaw's his apprentice, but it seems to mean more than that."

Echopaw bit her tongue. "I'm sure they just have a bond."

Hazeltail shook her head. "Go."

Echopaw raced back to camp, Hazeltail following more slowly, far behind. Sure enough, Whitewing and Birchfall had long gone, but Lionblaze and Jayfeather were still there, reprimanding the two bored apprentices.

"Lionblaze!" Echopaw called.

Lionblaze looked up. "Echopaw!" he meowed, and Echopaw could tell that he hadn't even noticed she had been gone.

Lionblaze came up to her. Dovepaw and Ivypaw looked at her fearfully. They knew what she was going to say.

"Can I talk to you?"

Lionblaze followed her along a different route. She didn't want Lionblaze to tell that she and Hazeltail had just been talking. Echopaw took him to the Sky Oak and sat him down. She decided to get right to it, though she knew it wasn't the best way.

"Lionblaze, I'm not your daughter."

Lionblaze's eyes widened. "What? Of course you are. Listen, I'm sorry, but Dovepaw and Ivypaw, there's something about them--"

"I know," Echopaw interrupted. "I know about the prophecy. I know about you and Jayfeather and Dovepaw, and your powers."

Lionblaze's amber eyes glimmered. "So it's Dovepaw."

"Yes," Echopaw meowed irritably, hating the way that he cared more about the prophecy than the fact that his daughter just told him she wasn't his daughter. "Anyway, Lionblaze. I'm not your daughter. Hazeltail...lied to protect someone."

Lionblaze's eyes seemed to light on fire. "Why would she lie to me?" he yowled to the sky. "I thought we told each other everything!"

Echopaw rolled her eyes. "Yeah. She told _you _everything. Cough, cough, Power of Three, cough cough."

Lionblaze looked hurt. "You don't have to be so sarcastic."

Echopaw growled. "Stop acting like a little kit! This is serious! _I'm not your kit_!"

"Well, who _are _your parents?" Lionblaze retorted hotly.

Echopaw took a deep breath.

"Cinderheart and Jayfeather."

**I don't know if you saw THAT coming, either, though I think with the fact that Echopaw looks like Jayfeather and Cinderheart always likes to be around her makes some sense. Wow, these chapters are really coming fast today. I suppose when your parents are working and it's raining outside, miracles can happen. STILL review.**


	31. Chapter 28

**THANKS FOR REVIEW NOW READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

"Your warrior ceremony has been postponed?" Echopaw meowed, settling down next to Ivypaw and Dovepaw in the apprentices' den. "That's rough."

After she had told Lionblaze the truth, he'd become agitated at Hazeltail and sent Echopaw away. He and Hazeltail were out by the Sky Oak now, fighting about it. Echopaw had wanted a good night's sleep, so she had went to the apprentices' den, only to find that Dovepaw and Ivypaw were fuming that their ceremony had been moved.

"It was going to be tonight," Ivypaw hissed. "Or so Firestar said. But since we left for no reason, he thinks we need punishment. So now, we've got to go to the Gathering tomorrow as apprentices!"

"Well, at least it means you're going to the Gathering," Echopaw meowed sympathetically.

"And, like _that's _not bad enough, Smokepaw and Dewpaw are going to become warriors before us!" Ivypaw yowled. "It's not fair! We've been training for nine moons! Why can't we become warriors?"

Dovepaw sat silently, glaring at the ground.

Echopaw licked their ears comfortingly. "Well, at least you're not the forbidden kit of a medicine cat," she tried.

Dovepaw's head jerked up, and Ivypaw gaped at her.

"You're serious?" Dovepaw gasped. She shook her head. "No medicine cat is faithful these days."

"Jayfeather and...?" Ivypaw asked.

"Cinderheart."

"I'm not surprised," Ivypaw meowed amusedly. "Cinderheart's been padding after him for who knows how long."

"This is serious!" Dovepaw snapped. "What if Jayfeather doesn't know? What if he goes after another she-cat?"

Echopaw knew they were all thinking the same thing.

"We can't let him get to Willowshine," Ivypaw hissed. "Even if Echopaw shouldn't exist--"

"Thanks," Echopaw muttered.

Ivypaw shot her an apologetic glance. "Even if Echopaw shouldn't exist, she at least deserves her parents to be happy together, right?"

Echopaw shrugged. "I don't know. Really, it would be better if they hated each other now."

"I'm tuning you out," Ivypaw meowed confidently. "We've got to set them up. I just _know _that Willowshine will make _some _move, because she just _loves _Jayfeather."

"How do you know?" Echopaw asked amazedly.

Ivypaw rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Echopaw. You _never _paid attention to how she looks at him, so _sweetly _and _dripping _with _sweetness_?"

"You're definitely not the motherly type," Dovepaw pointed out.

"So," Ivypaw continued, "I think we should do something."

Dovepaw gaped at her. "You said that whole long speech to just say we should do _something? _You don't have a _plan?_"

Ivypaw shrugged. "You're the smart one."

Dovepaw closed her eyes. "Maybe," she meowed, "we should make Cinderheart look all nice. Then tomorrow, at the Gathering, when we're pretty sure Willowshine will make her move, we'll put Cinderheart next to Jayfeather, and then he'll have to choose." Dovepaw smirked. "And he should go the way we want him to go. I mean, he _likes _Willowshine but actually _mated _with Cinderheart. That's not hard to figure out."

Ivypaw licked her shoulder. "Good job, Smart One."

Just then, Dapplepaw burst into the den. "Firestar's called a meeting!" she gasped. Dovepaw, Ivypaw, and Echopaw scurried out into the clearing in the middle of camp.

"I have decided that Ashpaw and Berrypaw will join ThunderClan, along with Petalkit!" Firestar yowled. A few murmurs of protest broke out in the crowd, but for the most part it was silent.

"Ashpaw and Berrypaw will need mentors!" Firestar meowed. "Spiderleg and Bumblefoot, please come forward."

Spiderleg and Bumblefoot, caught off guard, came stumbled forward in front of the Highledge.

"Spiderleg, you are considerate and intelligent. Please pass on all you know to Ashpaw." Spiderleg recoiled for a moment, then touched his uncle's kit.

"Bumblefoot, you were well-mentored by Cinderheart, and you are great at fighting and hunting. Give all your strength and skill to Berrypaw." Bumblefoot stepped forward and touched noses with Berrypaw, and the she-cat bristled in surprise but seemed happy.

Many cats were silent, until Echopaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw began, "Ashpaw! Berrypaw! Ashpaw! Berrypaw!" Soon the rest of the Clan joined in.

Ashpaw and Berrypaw came down from the Highledge and next to Echopaw. Ashpaw trembled, his lips drawn back in a snarl. "I don't like all the cats here," he mumbled. "Seems too crowded."

Berrypaw, however, had a dazed look. "Did you see my mentor?" she meowed dreamily. "He's so strong, and his coat's a really nice shade of gray...his eyes are like amber pools..."

Echopaw purred in amusement, and Dovepaw and Ivypaw joined in. Dapplepaw came up behind and purred too, and Echopaw was glad that her foster sister was feeling better. She realized that Dapplepaw didn't know the truth yet, but thought that now wasn't the time to tell her.

Ashpaw snorted and went into the apprentices' den, while Berrypaw jumped up and down with excitement. "I can't wait to train with Bumblefoot!" she meowed excitedly. "I've got to go!" She ran over to Bumblefoot and began leaping around his paws, her own green eyes glowing with happiness and love.

"Wow," Ivypaw meowed, her left ear flicking backwards. "I can't imagine being in love that quickly. Like, she'd never even seen him until they touched noses."

Echopaw shrugged. "I don't know."

Bumblefoot and Berrypaw left the camp, and Echopaw went to the apprentices' den, where Ashpaw, Dewpaw, Goldenpaw, and Fogpaw were all asleep. Echopaw sighed. _Clan life goes on, _she thought. _Being the daughter of a medicine cat can't stop that._

But no matter how hard she tried to fall asleep, she couldn't stop the dread that was creeping up through her veins.

**I'm just cranking out the chapters today! Wow...so just review on all of them!!!!! I love Berrypaw, isn't she so cute? She's like a little Honeyfern...wow, that's ironic. Berrypaw is like Honeyfern, who loved Berrynose. Well, I'm going to update the ThunderClan allegiances, because I realized I made some huge mistakes on the last one. Also, this had descriptions of all the apprentices.  
**

**Leader: Firestar**

**Deputy: Thornclaw**

**Medicine Cat: Jayfeather**

**Warriors: Squirrelflight**

**Dustpelt**

**Apprentice, Dapplepaw (dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes)  
**

**Sandstorm**

**Cloudtail**

**Apprentice, Smokepaw (smoky gray tom with amber eyes)  
**

**Brackenfur**

**Sorreltail**

**Thornclaw**

**Apprentice, Dovepaw (fluffy gray she-cat with blue eyes)  
**

**Brightheart**

**Spiderleg**

**Apprentice, Ashpaw (black tom with blue eyes)  
**

**Birchfall**

**Apprentice, Goldenpaw (golden tabby she-cat with green eyes)  
**

**Graystripe**

**Apprentice, Fogpaw (misty gray tom with light blue eyes)  
**

**Berrynose**

**Apprentice, Dewpaw (blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes)  
**

**Mousewhisker**

**Cinderheart**

**Apprentice, Echopaw (light gray tabby she-cat with light blue eyes)  
**

**Lionblaze**

**Apprentice, Ivypaw (light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes)  
**

**Icestorm**

**Foxpelt**

**Toadspots**

**Millie**

**Whitewing**

**Bumblefoot**

**Apprentice, Berrypaw (pale gray with darker flecks she-cat with green eyes)  
**

**Briarthorn**

**Blossomflower**

**Queens: Ferncloud**

**Daisy; mother of Spiderleg's kit: Onekit; suckling Roseleaf and Toadfoot's kits: Darkkit, Marshkit, Rosekit**

**Poppyfrost; mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Eaglekit, Emberkit; suckling Snowpetal and Petalfur's kit: Petalkit**

**Elders: Longtail  
**


	32. Chapter 29

**Argh, I'm not even going to thank you people outright, because I think you already know I thank you. Oh, and I just thought of something about the before chapter...it seemed a tad like the Parent Trap, didn't it? Like, with the two twins who are trying to set up their split parents again? Except this one's with one kid and her friends. Hm. Strange. Oh, and guess what I found out? The warrior names of Foxpaw and Icepaw! Icepaw is Icecloud. Which I respect. But guess what Foxpaw is. Foxpaw, oh, Foxpaw...the one who wanted to sound like a strong, fierce, brave warrior...is Foxleap. I gotta admit, it's really awesome. But it's just, for Foxpaw...I wouldn't think he'd like that name, you know? So, you're like, hoping it's all lost in the ecstasy of being a warrior...I also discovered that Whitestorm had an aunt named Sweetkit. Go figure.  
**

"Tonight for the Gathering," Firestar yowled, "I'll be taking Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Sorreltail, Millie, Graystripe, Birchfall, Lionblaze, Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, Foxpelt, Briarthorn, Bumblefoot, Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Echopaw, Ashpaw, and Berrypaw."

"Fox dung!" Dapplepaw growled. "It seems like I never get to go!"

Echopaw licked her ear comfortingly. "You'll go sometime soon," she meowed.

"Come on, Echopaw!" Dovepaw called from the camp entrance where the chosen cats were amassing. Echopaw bounded off to join them.

"Are we going through with our plan?" Ivypaw hissed from the back of the pack. All the warriors were far ahead, with Ashpaw and Berrypaw bridging the gap between them and Dovepaw, Ivypaw, and Echopaw.

Echopaw winced. "I...don't know. I think it's better that they really don't have anything to do with each other, right? I wasn't supposed to be born. It's better this way."

"I am way too excited to hear you," Ivypaw meowed suddenly, and stood up

Dovepaw nodded determinedly. "Let's go catch up to Cinderheart."

As Ivypaw and Dovepaw flashed past, Ashpaw hissed and Berrypaw meowed, "What? Where's everybody going?"

"We're just...catching up," Echopaw meowed, falling into step with Hollyleaf's kits. "Come on, aren't you excited? It's your first Gathering."

"We've barely been in the Clan a day," Ashpaw snarled, pulling up tufts of grass. "I feel like I don't belong here."

"You'll get used to it," Berrypaw promised. "I'm already having the time of my life! Bumblefoot, wait up!" Echopaw purred as she saw Bumblefoot flinch and try to scramble ahead of his love-struck apprentice.

Ashpaw groaned and went after his sister.

Echopaw caught up to Dovepaw and Ivypaw, who were chatting lightly with Cinderheart.

Until they got to the fallen tree, they kept talking to Cinderheart and pointing out small flaws with her fur or posture. Echopaw could tell that Cinderheart was thoroughly confused with what they were doing, and Echopaw prayed to StarClan she didn't find out.

When they reached the fallen tree, Echopaw went last of all the ThunderClan cats. ShadowClan came up behind them, so Echopaw, determined to hurry, leapt onto the fallen tree. It bounced under her weight, and she gripped her claws into it to keep her balance. No matter how hard she tried, however, she couldn't keep it, and she slipped sideways off of the tree and into the water.

The water was an icy shock which seemed to freeze Echopaw's muscles. She struggled to keep her head above the water, and choked as it filled her lungs and she went under. Stars appeared before her eyes, and she thought she heard StarClan screaming in her ears.

Something grabbed her scruff and hauled her above the surface. She coughed and spluttered, water coming up from her lungs as she fought for air. The lean shape swam strongly with her and laid her out on the shore, where she coughed up more water then lay shivering.

The black shape leaned over her and meowed, "Are you okay?"

Echopaw looked up into the blue eyes of Ashpaw. She rose shakily to her feet. "I'm fine now," she mewed firmly. She looked at ShadowClan, who were all snickering at her, except for Tawnypelt and her three kits, who raced across the tree and onto the beach to make sure she was okay.

Hazeltail, Cinderheart, Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Berrypaw, and Bumblefoot came too.

"Echopaw!" Hazeltail cried, and began covering her foster daughter in soothing licks. Cinderheart hovered worriedly beside her, Dovepaw and Ivypaw gaped, and Berrypaw pressed up next to Bumblefoot, who was in too much shock to shy away.

"I'm fine," Echopaw insisted.

"You're sure?" Tawnypelt asked.

Dawnlight came up behind her and repeated, "You're sure?"

Echopaw nodded vigorously.

Flameheart and Tigerheart breathed sighs of relief.

Hazeltail looked at Ashpaw. "You saved my...daughter," she meowed gratefully. "I can never thank you enough."

Ashpaw dipped his head and grunted.

Berrypaw stepped away from Bumblefoot and nudged her brother. "Come on, Ashpaw. You did a good thing. Be more happy."

Bumblefoot took the moment to slip away.

Berrypaw looked hurt. "Why does he hate me so much?"

"Maybe you should slow down," Echopaw meowed.

Tawnypelt, Flameheart, Tigerheart, and Dawnlight left. After making sure she was okay for the thousandth time, Hazeltail and Cinderheart left too. That just left Echopaw, Ivypaw, Dovepaw, Ashpaw, and Berrypaw.

Ashpaw hissed. "Do you think Firestar's going to reveal our heritage?"

Berrypaw drew herself up. "We should be proud of our heritage," she argued.

"After what they did? Ashfur and Hollyleaf? Ashfur tried to kill his Clanmates because Squirrelflight didn't love him. And Hollyleaf tried to destroy the lives of Leafpool and Crowfeather. That's supposed to make us proud? Face it, Berrypaw. Our parents were murderers."

Berrypaw wailed softly. "If Bumblefoot knew who my parents were, would he even be my mentor anymore?"

Ashpaw rolled his eyes. "There's a lot more than Bumblefoot at stake," he growled. "It's our place in the Clans. They might cast us out."

"And Hollyleaf told us that we had to stay in the Clans," Berrypaw meowed sadly. "But what else would Firestar say, Ashpaw? He's going to say it. When we do get exiled, remember the one day we had, Ashpaw. Of happiness. Of that we belonged."

"I don't belong," Ashpaw snarled softly, though Echopaw could see that he wanted to.

A yowl came from the clearing.

"It's starting," Ivypaw whispered. "Let's go."

"The plan?" Dovepaw murmured.

Ivypaw shook her head. "There's not enough time. We'll have to give up."

"And it's for the better," Echopaw meowed firmly, though she felt slightly hollow inside.

The five ThunderClan apprentices made their way into the clearing, then each took their turn licking Echopaw dry, except for Ashpaw, of course.

Onestar stepped forward. "We have three new apprentices," he yowled. "Heathertail and Breezepelt's kits, Galepaw, Flowerpaw, and Tabbypaw!"

All the gazes turned to three half-grown cats, one black tom, a white and brown she-cat, and a brown tabby tom. The brown tabby, Tabbypaw, ducked his head in embarrassment, and the speckled Flowerpaw scuffled the ground with her forepaws. But the black Galepaw puffed out his chest and surveyed all the surrounding cats, almost as though he were looking at a plump rabbit. Echopaw shivered.

"Other than that, WindClan has nothing to report." Onestar stepped back.

Mistystar drew in a breath, but Blackstar cut in sharply, "_I _will go first." Mistystar looked confused, but nodded her head in agreement.

Blackstar faced Firestar and hissed. "You dare to steal our prey, Firestar?"

Yowls of protest rose from the ThunderClan cats assembled.

Firestar locked his green gaze with Blackstar's amber one. "We have not stolen any prey from ShadowClan," he meowed sternly. "Where do you get the idea?"

"I smelled ThunderClan all over the edge of my territory!" he growled.

"Maybe because it's the border?" Birchfall yowled, and cats snarled agreement.

"No, you crow-food-eating prey-stealers!" Blackstar caterwauled, "_over _the border!"

"I assure you, Blackstar, ThunderClan has not stolen any prey. In fact, Blackstar, I have smelled ShadowClan in ThunderClan territory, too. Just before the Gathering, I even saw one of your cats."

"Liar!" Blackstar snarled. "ShadowClan has not taken one step over the border!"

"Stop!"

All cats' eyes turned to Flameheart.

Flameheart looked embarrassed. "It was my fault, Blackstar. I was...searching for herbs and I ignored the scent markers."

"And Flameheart must have carried the scent back over the border," Dawnlight called.

Blackstar looked enraged to have been humiliated by his medicine cat. "I will deal with you later," he meowed curtly to Flameheart, then hissed, "ShadowClan has nothing to report." He stepped back.

Mistystar nodded to Firestar, then began, "RiverClan lost a warrior, Petalfur, from a fox attack."

Murmurs of sympathy went up from ShadowClan and WindClan.

"RiverClan is done."

Firestar stepped forward. "ThunderClan lost one of our apprentices, Snowpaw, to a fox, too. It might have been the same one that killed Petalfur." Echopaw nodded, and she almost admired Firestar's certainty that Snowpetal wouldn't come back. Firestar didn't even know yet that Snowpetal was dead.

"We found three cats on our border," Firestar continued. "The one was a malnourished kit, which we of course took in to our Clan."

Uneasy mutters went up. Though it was still a helpless kit, Firestar had let many kittypets into his Clan.

"The other two, I discovered, have Clan blood in them."

All the ThunderClan cats' eyes were wide in shock. Echopaw realized that Firestar hadn't even told his Clan where Ashpaw and Berrypaw had come from.

"Our two new apprentices, Ashpaw and Berrypaw, are the kits of Ashfur and Hollyleaf."

Yowls of disbelief and amazement and fear went up around all four of the Clans. Berrypaw wailed, and Bumblefoot scrambled away from her in disgust, shooting her angry glares. Ashpaw snarled at all the looking cats, unsheathing his claws. A wide circle formed around the two apprentices.

"Hollyleaf is not welcome in the Clans anymore!" Blackclaw of RiverClan yowled, wild-eyed. "She was a traitor to her own Clan, and she tried to murder Leafpool! Some even say she may have murdered Ashfur! How could they have been mates?"

Lionblaze and Jayfeather were looking at Ashpaw and nodding sadly, and Echopaw could see how they had guessed who his mother was, with the almost complete resemblence.

Berrypaw's green eyes, just like Hollyleaf's, were flicking back and forth like a hunted animal's. She pressed up against Ashpaw and whimpered, and Ashpaw let out another snarl. Ivytail jeered at him, and he lashed out with his paw, slicing the warrior's ear.

"Stop!" Echopaw meowed, flinging herself at Ashpaw. "It's a night of peace. You can't fight!" Ashpaw stepped back, seeming to almost relish the blood flowing out of Ivytail's ear as she howled accusations.

Dovepaw and Ivypaw just looked upset. They kept shifting uneasily and shrinking away whenever a warrior spared them a glance.

Lionblaze dragged Echopaw by the scruff over to where he and Jayfeather were sheltering under a tree. "You _knew_?" he meowed, clearly outraged. "_You knew _about our sister's kits, and you didn't tell us? Do you know how much we were grieving for her death? _Do you know_?"

Echopaw shrunk back. "Hollyleaf wanted to come back," she meowed smally. "But she said she didn't have a place here anymore." She looked back at the hissing crowd. "And I guess she was right."

"Look!" Littlecloud yowled.

A dark cloud drifted over the moon, plunging the clearing into darkness.

"A sign! A sign from StarClan!" Kestrelwing yowled.

"The Gathering is over!" Willowshine declared.

"ThunderClan, follow my voice!"

Firestar led his furious cats to the edge of the Island.

"I know you're all angry with me. But it's for the best that the rest of the Clans know."

The cats, in a blaze of fury, pounded over the fallen tree, not caring where they were going, only away from their lying leader.

Echopaw felt faint when she heard a splash, a gurgle, then silence.

**Whoa. I just killed Firestar! Well, that kind of reveals who it was. I suppose it could have been ANYONE! LIKE BIRCHFALL! But no, I'd NEVER kill Birchfall. He's NIIIIIIIICE! But I must say, REJOICE AND BE GLAD! FIRESTAR'S NEARING HIS DEATH! I'm so cruel. How many lives does he have left? ...Four, I believe. Well, let's go with that. Now he's got four lives left. REVIEW!!!!!!!!**


	33. Chapter 30

**La-di-da!!!!!!!!! I'm so HAAAAAAAAPPY!!!!!!!!! I KILLED FIRESTAR!!!!!!!!! I know, I'm one of those Firestar-haterz. It's just I think he's...uncool. Not _perfect, _like some of you people say, but UNCOOL. Like, he's so BOOOOORING!!!! He's always holed up in his den, musing things. And another thing is how he got all smitten with Spottedleaf. It's like, "Whoa. I'm in a new place called a Clan! But who cares about that? Check out that HOTT she-cat, man! Graypaw, yeah, I'm gonna go hit on your aunt!" Yeah.**

**DISCLAIMER: If _I _owned Warriors, Firestar would've liked Sandstorm from the beginning. Cinderpelt would never have been injured, and she and Dustpelt would have a happy warrior life together. Brambleclaw would be evil. LionXHazel and JayXCinder would've come true in Sunrise. Jay and Cinder would have relationship problems because of...DUN DUN DUUUUUN!!!! Sticky. Ferncloud would've had all 150 kits that a female cat can have in a lifetime, with Swiftpaw, just because I would have wanted to see that. So I wouldn't have to come up with names, they'd have all died the day after they were born. Feathertail would love someone better than Crowy, and Leafpool would've never had kits. Nightcloud and Crowy would've had Breezekit, but it would've been a girl, cuz I think Breezekit's a girl name.**

**So, as you can see, I don't own Warriors.**

**Cuz if I did, it would be so bad that the publishers' head would explode.**

**And I have more ideas, too!**

The moon shone brightly as Echopaw flung herself at the water's edge. A foggy flame-colored shape seemed to rise into the air, then return to the water. Firestar's head broke the surface, and he started flailing wildly, coughing and spluttering water.

Echopaw grabbed his scruff and pulled him onto the shore with all her might. Firestar lay there, shivering.

"I lost a life," he murmured. He looked up at Echopaw. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm just tired of secrets. All the secrets Hollyleaf kept from us. And Ashfur. And Leafpool. And Squirrelflight. My Clan was being eaten from the inside with secrets. Even I have my secrets, that should have been told long ago."

Echopaw helped her leader to his feet. "How many lives do you have left?" she meowed, though she could already tell. It seemed that a few of her medicine cat abilities hadn't abandoned her.

"Four," Firestar meowed shakily. "I lost one in the battle with BloodClan. I lost one in the battle with the rats in SkyClan. I lost one when a tree fell on me. I lost one to greencough. The others are just faded into memories."

Echopaw shook her head wearily. "Firestar, the Clan is in a rampage. I...don't know. Even calm Millie seemed angry. I'm afraid something bad might happen."

"You're right," Firestar meowed grimly. "But first, we have to help Ashpaw and Berrypaw." As he looked up at the full moon, a cloud passed over it again. "I have a feeling something bad is happening."

Echopaw raced ahead of the hobbling Firestar into the Gathering clearing. She was horrified as she saw Ashpaw, bloodied and beaten, barely breathing in a ring of ShadowClan warriors, Berrypaw cowering next to her brother.

"Stop!" Echopaw yowled. She couldn't believe what was happening. Why was ShadowClan becoming so cruel? "Stop! It's not their fault who their parents are! You forgave Tawnypelt; why can't you forgive them?"

The ShadowClan warriors stopped and looked at her. "Tawnypelt," Ivytail meowed slowly, "the daughter of Tigerstar..."

"...Who nearly destroyed our Clan!" Oakfur snarled. "Tawnypelt is no better than this filth!"

"Oh, great StarClan," Echopaw muttered as the Clan turned on Tawnypelt. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No!" Tawnypelt wailed. "Please! I thought you'd let it go!"

"Never," Oakfur hissed, and lunged at Tawnypelt. Tawnypelt rolled away as Tigerheart and Dawnlight growled at Oakfur. Flameheart was pleading for peace. WindClan and RiverClan were nowhere to be found.

The rest of ShadowClan jumped on Tawnypelt and her three kits. They struggled through the writhing mass of clawing cats, spotted Echopaw, and leaped towards her.

"Tigerheart, Dawnlight, get Ashpaw and Berrypaw!" Echopaw whispered. They nodded, and Tigerheart quickly picked up Ashpaw and flung him over his muscular back, as Dawnlight picked up the smaller Berrypaw and nodded, Berrypaw's lower half smacking the ground.

"Come on!" Echopaw led the four cats and their loads over the fallen tree and off the Island, ShadowClan taking their sweet time to follow them. Echopaw sped through WindClan territory, and they seemed to understand they were going to the ThunderClan camp.

Tawnypelt shook her head. "No, Echopaw. We can't put your Clan in danger for our sakes."

"Where else will you go?" Echopaw pleaded.

Tawnypelt shook her head again. "Echopaw, we can't."

"You must."

Tawnypelt and her kits spun around as Firestar padded up slowly behind them. "Tawnypelt. Please join ThunderClan again, at least until ShadowClan is back to their normal selves."

Tawnypelt looked pained. "After all you did for us before, Firestar...I can't put myself in your debt anymore."

"You won't be in our debt," Firestar meowed fiercely, "because you will be a Clanmate. Now come. I can hear them coming. Echopaw, all of ThunderClan has returned safely to the camp. Now, we need to _go_."

Echopaw and Firestar led the new ThunderClan cats through ThunderClan territory, though they seemed to remember the way around from when they had come to ThunderClan when Sol had taken over ShadowClan.

As they reached the hollow, Icestorm, who was keeping guard, looked at Firestar fearfully, then at the ShadowClan cats, and let them through. It seemed like every cat in the Clan was talking, even the kits, until they caught sight of Firestar. Everything fell silent.

Flameheart took Ashpaw off of Tigerheart's back and took him to the medicine cat's den, where Jayfeather took them inside without a word.

"Tawnypelt and her kits are joining ThunderClan," Firestar announced.

The Clan erupted into furious yowls.

"Firestar!" Dustpelt snarled. "This Clan is becoming no more than a bunch of kittypets, traitors, and cats of other Clans!"

"Silence!" Firestar snapped. "What were the Clans, in the very beginning? Clan cats couldn't have been made out of nothing by StarClan! No! They were rogues, loners, kittypets, anyone who had the quality of being in that specific Clan. The lean, fast ones for WindClan. The swimming ones for RiverClan. The jumping and leaping ones for SkyClan. If you truly think about it, are we anything more than that? Rogues who are just living as one? So, what does it matter if more come?"

Dustpelt hissed. "Being a Clan means something. Something more than what kittypets can seem to understand, _kittypet_!"

Echopaw expected, _wanted _everyone to gasp at Dustpelt's insult of their Clan leader. But instead, everyone screeched their support.

_My Clan is falling apart!_ Echopaw wailed silently. _My Clan is just falling apart!_

**Hm. That was almost angsty, sort of. WEEEEELL, as I said before, Foxpaw's warrior name is Foxleap. And Icepaw's is Icecloud. But I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool is Foxleap was actually Foxpelt but Icecloud was still Icecloud? Then it'd be like their parents, Dustpelt and Ferncloud. Yeah, totally random. BUT REVIEW, YOU MUST!**


	34. Chapter 31

**Whoa. Last chapter was...INTENSE. Dangit, I don't want to do that anymore. I wanna go back to happy la-la-land with Demi Lovato!!!!! Argh, no wait, I don't like Demi Lovato that much. Dangit. Er, I suppose I'll just have to keep going.**

Firestar looked down on his Clan, his gaze clouded. "If that is the way you feel," he meowed softly. "How many of you want a new leader?"

Echopaw's stare was blank with shock. _A new leader?! _Had Firestar lost his mind? Well, Echopaw thought ruefully, a lot of cats had been doing that lately.

Echopaw turned desperately to her Clan. _No one would want a new leader! That's just crazy!_

No cat said they wanted a new leader.

But no cat said they wanted Firestar to stay.

Sandstorm stepped forward. "Firestar, you can't do this!" she begged.

Firestar looked at her. "Sandstorm, if the Clan wants it, I'll do it. I'd do anything for my--I mean, the Clan."

Dustpelt hissed softly. "Firestar, you're not a fit leader for ThunderClan."

Sandstorm whirled on the cat she once loved. "How could you say that?" she cried.

Longtail stumbled next to Dustpelt. "I agree with Dustpelt," he meowed subtly. "Firestar is not a fit leader."

Squirrelflight joined her mother in the desperate look for some cat of sympathy. Tawnypelt and her kits shied away from the whole matter. Jayfeather and Lionblaze said nothing. Brambleclaw opened and closed his mouth, obviously trying to think of something to say on Firestar's behalf but not thinking of anything good. The rest of the Clan backed up. Even Graystripe.

"Graystripe!" Sandstorm sounded extremely dismayed. "Graystripe, Firestar is your best friend! He let Millie into the Clan! You wouldn't..."

Graystripe shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sandstorm. If we go on your side, will we be safe? Think of our kits." He drew his tail protectively over Millie's belly.

Sandstorm wailed. Squirrelflight just sunk to the ground, stunned.

"If the Clan wants it," Firestar repeated, "I will do it."

"But Firestar!" Dustpelt yowled imploringly. "StarClan wouldn't grant nine lives to another cat unless you're dead!"

Firestar hissed. "Then I'll just have to run. Far out of StarClan's reach. They won't be able to tell if I'm alive or dead."

Firestar shot out of the camp.

"Firestar!" Sandstorm ran after her mate, but Squirrelflight blocked the way.

"Sandstorm. We can't leave the Clan." Squirrelflight looked exhausted.

Sandstorm looked furious with her daughter. "I love him!" she yowled. "I can't let him go!"

"Then go, Sandstorm," Squirrelflight meowed, moving out of her mother's way. "But I can't go with you."

Sandstorm looked around wildly, then collapsed. "Goodbye, Firestar," she whispered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brambleclaw looked down from the Highledge on the surrounding cats. "For my journey to the Moonpool," he mewed, his voice cracking, "I'd like to take--"

"Wait, Brambleclaw!" Jayfeather objected. "Only the medicine cats go."

Brambleclaw glared at him. "I'd like to take Jayfeather, of course," he continued, "Flameheart, and Echopaw. They all are or have experience as medicine cats."

Echopaw started when her name was called. Jayfeather's sightless blue eyes, exactly like hers, raked her pelt. So did Flameheart's.

Brambleclaw leapt off the Highledge.

"Brambleclaw," Flameheart mewed. "We better hurry. The sun will be going down soon, and you need to name a deputy by moonhigh."

Brambleclaw dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Now, come quickly!" he ordered, and Jayfeather, Flameheart, and Echopaw raced after him.

Flameheart looked at Echopaw. "I can't believe that happened," he meowed. "I really can't believe that happened."

"Neither can I," Echopaw replied hoarsely. "I don't remember anything like that ever happening in the elders' tales."

Flameheart's lips drew back in a snarl. "Firestar was a good leader!" he hissed. "My namesake!"

Echopaw looked at him in astonishment. "He was your namesake?"

Flameheart shrugged. "Tawnypelt was homesick, I guess."

The two cats, medicine cat's apprentice and former medicine cat's apprentice, raced on.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Echopaw's paws slipped into the pawprints of ancient cats before her. She shivered as she thought of them, then quickly brushed it off. This was important.

"Drink the water," Jayfeather instructed, and Brambleclaw did. Jayfeather followed suit, and then Flameheart. As he yawned, Jayfeather looked at the motionless Echopaw and meowed, "Drink."

"But I'm not a medicine cat," she protested.

"It doesn't matter," Jayfeather meowed, settling down to sleep. "Drink."

Echopaw lapped up a few icy drops, then pressed herself between Jayfeather and Flameheart. Darkness enveloped her senses, then she came to in the starry forest of StarClan.

"Welcome, Brambleclaw." It was Spottedleaf.

Brambleclaw dipped his head. "You must be Spottedleaf."

Spottedleaf dipped her head back. "Yes. You've come to receive your nine lives and name?"

Brambleclaw's mew was shaky. "If you'd allow it."

Spottedleaf studied the ground sadly. "That can't happen."

"I understand," Brambleclaw meowed, "but this is important."

"It can't happen!" Spottedleaf snapped.

"Why not?" Echopaw spoke up. Jayfeather glared at her, but she didn't quail.

Spottedleaf gently tipped her head at Echopaw. "Hello, Echopaw. It can't happen because Firestar is still recognized as leader."

"But you can't see past the Clans," Echopaw protested. "So how would you know if he's dead or alive?"

"If he was dead, he would join us."

"What if he couldn't find you?"

"He would. I would make sure he could."

"You can't do that."

Spottedleaf froze. Then she sighed. "You're right, Echopaw. I can't go look for him. It seems you have won." She turned her gaze back to Brambleclaw. "ThunderClan needs a leader. And...I suppose you're that cat." She shook her head. "This was bad enough when Brokenstar was leader. Now, this?"

"I will do my best to serve the Clan," Brambleclaw meowed firmly.

Spottedleaf stepped back, and a silver she-cat stepped out of the bushes.

"Feathertail!" Brambleclaw rushed forward toward his dead friend, but she flicked her plumy tail in his way.

"Stop, Brambleclaw," she meowed gently. "I can only give you a life. Then I must leave."

Brambleclaw looked at her sadly. "I'd give up my life so you could have yours back."

Feathertail gazed back at him. "All things happen for a reason," she meowed. "Now, with this life I give you love. Use it well to take care of your Clan...and a certain she-cat."

Brambleclaw stumbled backward. "Squirrelflight isn't my mate anymore," he hissed. "She lied to me."

"For a good reason," Feathertail persisted. "Now, come back."

Brambleclaw reluctantly stood back in front of Feathertail, and she touched noses with him. Echopaw watched in fascination as Brambleclaw visibly relaxed under the bliss of receiving the life.

Feathertail went behind Spottedleaf, and a pale ginger she-cat came next.

pale ginger she-cat stepped out of the bushes.

"Goldenflower!" Brambleclaw yowled, sounding overjoyed.

Goldenflower looked at him tenderly. "Hello, my son. Tawnypelt is well?"

"She's joined ThunderClan," Brambleclaw meowed smally.

Goldenflower looked happy at this. "She's finally remembered her place."

Brambleclaw didn't tell Goldenflower that Tawnypelt hadn't joined willingly. Instead he looked longingly into her eyes.

"With this life, I give you the courage to do what is right," Goldenflower meowed, and touched noses with her son. Brambleclaw flinched in pain, but hungrily drank up all of the life, with Goldenflower's courage and bravery and her resolution to her mistake of having Tigerstar as her mate.

Goldenflower went behind Spottedleaf, and Spottedleaf went before Brambleclaw. "Since Firestar left, I think I should give you a life," she whispered. Brambleclaw nodded.

"With this life, I give you protection. Protect your Clan like a mother would protect her kits. An experience that me, as a medicine cat, would never know." Spottedleaf touched noses with him, sadness glimmering in her amber eyes.

Echopaw's eyes widened as Brambleclaw crumpled to the ground, twitching in agony. "It...hurts!" he gasped. "It...hurts...make it...stop!" The twitching subsided, and Brambleclaw staggered to his feet, his eyes wild.

Spottedleaf went back with the other three cats, and a light brown tabby she-cat came.

"Honeyfern."

Honeyfern nodded. "Hi, Brambleclaw. How's Berrynose?"

"Not the same."

"Tell him not to grieve, Brambleclaw. Please."

"He won't stop."

"Please."

Honeyfern glanced back at Feathertail, Spottedleaf, and Goldenflower. "I think it would be appropriate if I gave you the gift of love, considering my position. But since Feathertail and Spottedleaf have the same problem I do, and Goldenflower's your mother, I decided to let one of them. So with this life, I give you the gift of mentoring. Use it well for the young cats in your Clan...especially the kits." Honeyfern touched noses with him, and Brambleclaw crumpled again. Echopaw realized she could see and feel what he was seeing and feeling, though on a lesser scale. A pang of heart-stopping anguish, and then it felt as though their blood was on fire. A cat's face drifted in and out of focus, until finally a starry blur came and took them into the sky.

Brambleclaw lay gasping. "I can't take any more," he heaved. "I can't."

"You can," Honeyfern encouraged as she stepped back with the other she-cats. "You can."

A black-and-white half-grown tom came forward.

"Swiftpaw!" Brambleclaw rushed forward yet again. Goldenflower looked sympathetically at Echopaw and mouthed "half-brother."

Swiftpaw kept his half-brother in a sturdy amber gaze. "With this life, I give you tireless energy," he meowed. "Use it to carry out the duties of a leader." Brambleclaw and his half-brother touched noses, and Brambleclaw looked like he wanted to just lift his paws off the ground and fly.

To Echopaw's surprise, two tiny kits bounded up in front of Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw looked equally as surprised as he meowed, "Who are you?"

"I'm Jay!" the one, a small black she-kit with green eyes, squeaked. Just then Echopaw realized who they were.

"And I'm Lion!" the other, a dappled gray tomkit with blue eyes, hissed, lashing out as Brambleclaw's leg with tiny claws that did nothing.

"We're Hollyleaf's kits," Jay squealed, and started play-wrestling with Lion.

Brambleclaw gulped with pain as he saw his niece's kits, the kits of the cat who he thought had been his daughter, rolling around on the ground.

"I thought Ashpaw and Berrypaw were her only kits," he breathed.

Jay broke away and looked at Brambleclaw. "Ash and Berry? What do they look like? I've only heard their names before. We were born dead, so we never really got to see anything."

"How did she hide four kits?" Brambleclaw murmured. Then he shook his head. "Why are you here?"

"The nice spotted cat said that we were supposed to give you a life," Lion meowed. He again clawed uselessly at Brambleclaw's leg. "So go get out there, find a nice she-cat, and fight some good battles!"

Jay swiped her paw over Lion's head. "Not _that _kind of life, mouse-brain!" she scoffed. "Do it like the other cats did!" She puffed out her chest, and Lion copied her. "Now say the words with me."

The two kits, looking rather ridiculous, meowed sophisticatedly, "With this life, we give you justice. Use it well to judge the cats of your Clan." They each touched Brambleclaw's muzzle at the same time. Brambleclaw's muscles rippled as a spasm of pain shot through him, and he bared his teeth slightly. The kits stepped back, and he relaxed.

"You know that was meant for Ash and Berry, don't you?" Lion asked.

Jay cuffed him on the head again. "You're not supposed to tell him, mouse-brain!" she scolded. "He's supposed to find that out for himself!"

"Well, the spotted cat didn't tell me anything!" Lion whined. "She only wanted to talk to you!"

"No, if you remember, you were too busy showing off to Larchkit," Jay hissed. Spottedleaf and Goldenflower gently picked up the squabbling kits and took them back to the group of cats.

"Hey, it's the spotted cat!" Jay exclaimed, looking up at Spottedleaf who was holding her scruff. "Please, tell Lion that you _were _going to talk to him!"

"Not right now, little ones," Spottedleaf meowed soothingly.

Brambleclaw was shaking. "How many more?"

"Three," Feathertail meowed.

Brambleclaw hissed. "I won't be able to take it."

"You will," Feathertail mewed firmly. "Now, let's continue."

A blue-gray she-cat.

"Bluestar!"

Bluestar shook her head and snapped, "There's no time for that. The sun is setting. I'm sorry I have to be so frank. With this life I give you compassion. Use it for the elders and kits, the sick and the weak of your Clan." Brambleclaw took the agony well, and Bluestar joined the group of cats.

"Shrewpaw!"

An undersized brown tom came up to Brambleclaw. "With this life, I give you bravery," he meowed. "Use it to put yourself in front of your Clan in battle." Brambleclaw sank to the ground as he received the life, but quickly shook it off, understanding the urgency that he get back to the Clan soon.

A final small black tom came forward.

Brambleclaw studied the tom. "I don't know you," he meowed confusedly.

The cat raised his eyes to Brambleclaw. "You wouldn't," he meowed softly. "My name is Tadpole. I'm your half-brother. Hawkfrost and Mothwing's brother."

Brambleclaw's eyes widened. "I didn't know they had another brother," he meowed in wonder.

Tadpole shook his head. "Now is not the time to get acquainted," he mewed sadly. "I drowned in a Twoleg den before Sasha, Hawk, and Moth went to the Clans. Now. With this life I give you nobility and certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code. The way I never knew." Brambleclaw touched noses with his newly found half-brother, and yowled in agony. Tadpole stepped back with the other cats.

"I hail you by your new name, Bramblestar," Tadpole announced. "Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants to you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!"

The chant rose up around the StarClan cats, as well as Jayfeather, Flameheart, and Echopaw. Echopaw couldn't believe what she had saw. It was so amazing...

Someday, she wished to have a ceremony like that.

**Wow, that was LOOOOOOOONG!!!!!! I'll make this short and sweet--R&R!**


	35. Chapter 32

**I'd like to give a special thank you to icethroat21, who reviews, like, EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER. Now THAT'S what I call dedication. Well, on we go with the story...**

Echopaw returned to camp, and even with what the past day had brought, she felt like she was walking on air. Bramblestar's ceremony had been so amazing...she was privileged to have seen something like that.

Bramblestar was told he couldn't say anything about the ceremony. And Jayfeather was sworn into silence too, and probably Flameheart for that matter. But Echopaw wasn't. She decided to keep it mostly secret, except she wanted Ashpaw and Berrypaw to know about their two dead siblings.

Ashpaw listened in accepted silence, while Berrypaw gaped at Echopaw. "I have another brother and a sister? Wow. I think I might remember them...just as Hollyleaf is one huge warm body and Ashpaw is a small warm one, with two other small cold ones. Jay and Lion? After Jayfeather and Lionblaze, right?"

Ashpaw tripped out of the apprentices' den, and Berrypaw just cocked her head sadly at Echopaw. "Bumblefoot won't even look at me anymore. He says he doesn't want to be my mentor."

Bramblestar called together a meeting, and Berrypaw and Echopaw left the apprentices' den and gathered under the Highledge. It was almost moonhigh, so Echopaw knew this had been coming.

"I say this before StarClan, so that they may hear and approve my choice."

Bramblestar gazed down at his crowd of cats.

"Brackenfur shall be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Brackenfur looked surprise, and a look of pleasure split across his face.

Yowls of congratulations rose from the crowd as Brackenfur stumbled up the Highledge. Bramblestar licked his shoulder, and Brackenfur turned out to face ThunderClan. Echopaw could read his expression as he wondered what they had become.

"I will serve ThunderClan to the best of my abilities," he meowed seriously.

Echopaw looked around. It seemed like everything was fixing itself. Cloudtail was showing Tawnypelt, Tigerheart, and Dawnlight into the warriors' den to get a spot; Jayfeather was taking Flameheart into the medicine cats' den; Brackenfur was sorting out patrols; Ferncloud was calming Dustpelt down and scolding him for talking that way to their leader. Echopaw sighed. That's what a Clan does. Bounce back from every tragedy.

Bramblestar called everyone back. They looked surprised, but came.

"I think it's time that we have some long overdue warrior ceremonies!"

"Long overdue is right," Dapplepaw muttered, coming up beside Echopaw. "The apprentices' den is way too crowded."

"Smokepaw, Dewpaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw, come up here."

Dovepaw and Ivypaw looked at each other in awe. "But Firestar said we weren't going to become warriors until long after Smokepaw and Dewpaw!" Ivypaw called.

"That's what Firestar said," Bramblestar meowed seriously. "If I had been leader, I would have had your ceremony long ago."

Dovepaw and Ivypaw stumbled over each other to get to the Highledge, where Smokepaw and Dewpaw were already standing, looking proud.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Bramblestar faced Smokepaw. "Smokepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Smokepaw meowed strongly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Smokepaw, from this moment you shall be known as Smokefur. StarClan honors your loyalty and your skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Smokefur licked Bramblestar's shoulder, and jumped off the rock. "Dewpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Dewpaw replied shakily.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dewpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Dewleaf. StarClan honors your kindness and your justice, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Dewleaf licked Bramblestar's shoulder, and then Bramblestar continued. "Ivypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Ivypaw yowled enthusiastically.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Ivypaw, from this moment you shall be known as Ivyvine. StarClan honors your bravery and your willingness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Ivyvine licked his shoulder hard and leaped into the air, twisting violently before she fell to the ground. Whitewing and Birchfall scolded her gently, then took her in between them. "Dovepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Dovepaw meowed quietly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dovepaw, from this moment you shall be known as Dovewing. StarClan honors your cleverness and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Dovewing looked surprised to be called intelligent, but she licked his shoulder all the same.

"Smokefur! Dewleaf! Ivyvine! Dovewing!"

Echopaw chanted loudly for her friends. Ivyvine and Dovewing came and padded over to her.

"Soon that'll be you," Ivyvine meowed encouragingly.

"But first them," Echopaw meowed, flicking her tail towards Goldenpaw and Fogpaw.

"And they'll be with you," Dovewing mewed, twisting her ears toward Ashpaw and Berrypaw.

"Me too!" Dapplepaw mewed excitedly.

Echopaw rubbed up against her foster sister warmly, remembering again that her foster sister didn't know that she wasn't her real sister yet. Again, she found it the wrong time to tell her.

Graystripe congratulated them, then walked Millie into the nursery. Echopaw remembered that Millie was expecting another litter of kits.

_Life goes on_, she thought.

Tigerheart came up to her. "Hi, Echopaw," he meowed nonchalantly. "Do you want to go hunting with me? I need to get to know the territory and the hunting style, and Cinderheart told me how good you are."

Echopaw shrugged. "Sure. Ivyvine, Dovewing, Dapplepaw, want to come?"

Tigerheart looked unhappy, but he resignedly mewed, "Yeah."

Dapplepaw let out a huge yawn. "It's moonhigh, remember? I'm beat. See you tomorrow." She headed off to the apprentices' den.

Ivyvine shrugged. "Sure, I guess--"

Dovewing laid her fluffy gray tail in front of Ivyvine. "We better get a place in the warriors' den before Smokefur and Dewleaf," she meowed cautiously, giving Echopaw a pointed glance. "You know how Smokefur is."

Ivyvine cursed. "Fox-dung, you're right!" She raced off in the direction of the warriors' den, screeching, "Smokefur! You better not take up three spots!"

Dovewing sighed and went after her energetic sister.

Echopaw led Tigerheart out of the den and over to the Sky Oak. She felt his eyes trained on her the whole way, and it unnerved her.

She showed Tigerheart the basic technique of stalking a mouse, and he got it on the first try.

"Wow," she meowed, impressed.

Tigerheart shrugged. "I remember it from when Tawnypelt came here with us. When Sol had taken over ShadowClan."

Suddenly Tigerheart fixed her in an odd gaze. "Echopaw, do you...feel anything?"

_Oh, great StarClan, he's going to tell me he loves me._

"...No," Echopaw meowed carefully. "Why...do you?"

Tigerheart blew out a noisy breath. "Yes, Echopaw."

Echopaw scuffed the ground with her forepaws. "Listen, I'm only an apprentice."

"That didn't stop Snowpaw."

"Snowpetal went crazy."

Tigerheart started tearing up earth with his claws. "This isn't the same as that!" he insisted. "Echopaw, yes, you're only an apprentice. But I love you."

Echopaw's heart pounded. "I'm...sorry, Tigerheart. It's just...too soon after Snowpetal," she decided quickly.

Tigerheart seemed to deflate. "Yeah. Sorry," he meowed gruffly. He picked up the mouse in his jaws. "See you back at camp." He leaped out of the Sky Oak clearing.

Echopaw slumped up against a giant root. She didn't feel anything for Tigerheart.

...Did she?

**Oh, gosh, that was gushy. I hate the gushiness! Goodness gracious. Anyway, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEEEEEEASE, you MUST review! Cuz I need reviews to feel motivated! So click on that white button with green text. Right there, right below this type. Then just put in a kind word or two, it doesn't take much effort! All reviewers get an Echopaw and a Tigerheart plushie! Here's an update of the allegiances, cuz it's changed ALOT.**

**Leader-Bramblestar**

**Deputy-Brackenfur**

**Medicine Cat-Jayfeather**

**Apprentice, Flameheart**

**Warriors: Squirrelflight**

**Dustpelt**

**Apprentice, Dapplepaw (dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes)  
**

**Sandstorm**

**Cloudtail**

**Sorreltail**

**Thornclaw**

**Brightheart**

**Spiderleg**

**Apprentice, Ashpaw (black tom with blue eyes)  
**

**Birchfall**

**Apprentice, Goldenpaw (golden tabby she-cat with green eyes)  
**

**Graystripe**

**Apprentice, Fogpaw (misty gray tom with light blue eyes)  
**

**Berrynose**

**Mousewhisker**

**Cinderheart**

**Apprentice, Echopaw (light gray tabby she-cat with light blue eyes)  
**

**Lionblaze**

**Icestorm**

**Foxpelt**

**Toadspots**

**Whitewing**

**Bumblefoot**

**Apprentice, Berrypaw (pale gray with darker flecks she-cat with green eyes)  
**

**Briarthorn**

**Blossomflower**

**Tawnypelt**

******Tigerheart**

******Dawnlight  
**

**Smokefur**

**Dewleaf**

**Ivyvine**

**Dovewing  
**

**Queens: Ferncloud**

**Daisy; mother of Spiderleg's kit: Onekit; suckling Roseleaf and Toadfoot's kits: Darkkit, Marshkit, Rosekit**

**Poppyfrost; mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Eaglekit, Emberkit; suckling Snowpetal and Petalfur's kit: Petalkit**

**Millie; expecting Graystripe's kits  
**

**Elders: Longtail**


	36. Chapter 33

**Thanks for all your reviews, and check out my new story, SkyClan's Destiny! I haven't gotten any farther than the prologue yet, but still...and it's not very exciting yet, but still...**

Echopaw went back to the camp and into the apprentices' den. She wanted to pour everything out to Dovepaw and Ivypaw. Then she remembered that they were now Dovewing and Ivyvine, and they wouldn't be sleeping in the apprentices' den anymore.

Berrypaw came over to Echopaw. "Tigerheart told you?" she meowed sympathetically.

Echopaw looked at her in amazement. "How did you know?"

Berrypaw _mrrowed _lightly. "Everyone could tell. Even when he was still in ShadowClan."

"You've only been here two days."

"Gossip spreads."

Echopaw shrugged and settled down in her nest of moss and bracken. She wished for the warmth and comfort of Hazeltail in the nursery, not even caring that Hazeltail was her mother. Hazeltail was more of a mother to her than Cinderheart was.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Echopaw awoke to the sound of Cinderheart and Dustpelt's voices right outside the den.

"But Goldenpaw and Fogpaw aren't even warriors yet," Cinderheart was arguing.

"It's long overdue. It was long overdue for all eight of them. Bramblestar just didn't make them warriors because he wanted Dovewing, Ivyvine, Smokefur, and Dewleaf to have some time. But I don't want my apprentice to stay an apprentice if she doesn't need to."

"But that would leave only Ashpaw and Berrypaw."

"So?"

"Well, I think that they, at least, Echopaw and Dapplepaw, should become warriors with them."

"Why?"

"Because, I think they need some more help as apprentices."

"I'm going to go talk to Bramblestar. My apprentice deserves to be a warrior. She's been doing so well now. It seems that she's a different cat than the rash apprentice I first got."

Pawsteps voice told of his leaving, and suddenly a tortoiseshell bolt flew past Echopaw.

"We're becoming warriors soon?" Dapplepaw asked Cinderheart excitedly. "Really? Really?"

Echopaw came out after Dapplepaw. "We are?" she asked.

"Quiet," Cinderheart hissed. "I don't know yet. Bramblestar has to approve. But yes, I think it's very likely, along with Goldenpaw and Fogpaw, of course."

Echopaw shrugged. "It has been a while."

Cinderheart nodded. "Apprentices usually train for around six or seven moons, generally. Dovewing and Ivyvine had been training for nine, and Dewleaf, Smokefur, Goldenpaw, and Fogpaw for about seven and a half or so. You have been training for nearly seven, so I think it's about time."

Echopaw felt as though she were in a dream as Bramblestar yowled for the cats to assemble.

"Dustpelt has raised a good point," he yowled. "Goldenpaw, Fogpaw, Dapplepaw, and Echopaw have been training long enough, and they are also ready to become warriors. I don't know why Firestar delayed for so long."

Goldenpaw, Fogpaw, Dapplepaw, and Echopaw made their way to the top of the Highledge next to Bramblestar.

_This is really happening_, Echopaw thought dazedly. All thoughts of Tigerheart vanished, and all that really mattered were her and Bramblestar.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Bramblestar looked at Goldenpaw. "Goldenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Goldenpaw meowed, her voice cracking.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Goldenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Goldenclaw. StarClan honors your loyalty and your compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Goldenclaw licked his shoulder. Then her eyes were all for Smokefur.

"Fogpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Fogpaw hissed, unsheathing his claws on the rocks.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Fogpaw, from this moment you will be known as Fogpelt. StarClan honors your courage and your endurance, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Fogpelt licked his shoulder, and then joined his sister.

"Dapplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Dapplepaw meowed strongly, swelling with pride. Echopaw remembered her sister when she was still her sister, and they were only kits, play-wrestling with Snowkit as Silverkit and Echokit watched. Echopaw's heart wailed for those moments, and the simpleness of life back then, but she forced it down and felt the happiness surge through her again.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dapplepaw, from this moment you will be known as Dappleberry. StarClan honors your fearlessness and your valor, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Dappleberry licked his shoulder, her amber eyes shining.

"Echopaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Echopaw didn't hesitate. "I do," she meowed firmly, and no cat could doubt that she meant it.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Echopaw, from this moment you will be known as..."

Suddenly, Bramblestar broke off. Echopaw wondered why. Suddenly, a breeze whispered through the hollow. Echopaw wondered what was so strange about the breeze, but then she heard something.

"_...fade like an echo..._"

Echopaw listened harder.

"_...fade like an echo..._"

Echopaw shivered at the echo of the prophecy on the breeze. She looked out at the cats of the Clans, and she knew that they heard something too, but couldn't tell what it was.

"_...fade like an echo..._"

What was StarClan trying to tell her?

**Whoa, interrupted warrior ceremony! Anyway, I have a few questions for you:**

**1. What do you think Echopaw's warrior name is going to be now?**

**2. Which do you like better: EchoXFlame or EchoXTiger?**

**Your answers aren't going to affect the story, sorry, but I like to know what people think. Anyway, REVIEW!!!!!!!  
**


	37. Chapter 34

**So, a few of you said you like EchoXFlame, a few said EchoXTiger, and icethroat21 said that she didn't want Echopaw to have a mate. I actually don't want Echopaw to have a mate either. GIRL POWER!!!!! YAAAAH!!!! But I want her bloodline to continue, so unfortunately, she has to. Otherwise, that'd be kind of...strange...eeeeuugh. Don't think about it don't think about it don't think about it don't think about it...**

Bramblestar shook his head. "What was that?" he murmured. "Were StarClan speaking to me? What were they saying? It was like an echo on the breeze..."

_Echo on the breeze..._

Bramblestar looked at Echopaw. "Echopaw, from now on your name will be Echobreeze. StarClan honors your courage, intellectual and physical skills, and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Echobreeze was stunned as she licked his shoulder.

The cats slowly took up the chant. "Goldenclaw! Fogpelt! Dappleberry! Echobreeze!"

Echobreeze.

Echobreeze liked the name.

Bramblestar leaped off the Highledge.

Cats came up and congratulated the four new warriors.

Ivyvine got to Echobreeze first. "No fair!" she whined. "We were apprentices for _nine moons_, and you were only one for, like, seven!"

Echobreeze shrugged helplessly. "I...don't know. I suppose Dustpelt was able to convince Bramblestar?"

Dovewing laid her tail over Ivyvine's back. "At least we're warriors now," she meowed soothingly. "Firestar was going to make us wait even longer, remember?"

"Yeah," Ivyvine mewed heavily. "I guess that you want to find a place in the warriors' den now, Echopaw--I mean, Echobreeze. Sorry that Smokefur became a warrior before you, 'cause he's already taken up four spots."

Smokefur had been congratulating Goldenclaw, but he shot Ivyvine a glare.

Echobreeze looked at the cats all around her. "I feel bad for Ashpaw and Berrypaw," she meowed. "They're the only apprentices left."

"Darkkit, Marshkit, and Rosekit will become apprentices in a moon," Dovewing meowed, looking at the three large kits tumbling around in front of the nursery. "And I have a feeling that Ashpaw and Berrypaw will catch on to Clan life faster than you think. At least, Berrypaw will."

Dappleberry came up next to them. "New warriors," she mewed contentedly. "I feel bad for everyone saying my name. It's much longer and more complicated now."

Echobreeze looked around at the cats again. "Every cat seems to be breaking off in pairs," she mused. "Foxpelt and Briarthorn. Toadspots and Blossomflower. Smokefur and Goldenclaw, Fogpelt and Dewleaf. Bumblefoot and Berrypaw...sort of."

Dovewing shrugged. "I guess it's the newleaf air."

Ivyvine looked slyly at Echobreeze. "And you and Tigerheart?"

Echobreeze swatted Ivyvine over the head. "No!" she hissed indignantly.

"Fine, then...you and Flameheart?"

"He's a medicine cat?"

Ivyvine shrugged. "That didn't stop Leafpool. Or Jayfeather. Or many medicine cats of the past. Frankly, I don't even see the point of keeping the no-mate rule if everyone breaks it."

"Because. Mates would distract them."

"Isn't it _more _distracting to have a _forbidden _mate?"

Echobreeze shook her head helplessly. "I just don't know about you, Ivyvine."

Ivyvine shrugged.

Flameheart came over. "Congratulations, Echobreeze, Dappleberry," he meowed slowly. He looked at Echobreeze. "Can I...talk to you?"

Ivyvine looked at Echobreeze mischievously.

"Come on, Dappleberry," Ivyvine meowed. "Quick, maybe we can steal some of Smokefur's moss for you."

"I heard that!" Smokefur yowled furiously.

"Gotta go," Ivyvine meowed quickly, and shot out of camp, Smokefur in hot pursuit.

Dovewing turned to Dappleberry. "We're dead serious," she mewed. "Now come on." She lead Dappleberry into the warriors' den.

Flameheart took Echobreeze into the medicine cats' den, and after making sure Jayfeather wasn't there, he turned to Echobreeze.

Echobreeze sighed noisily. "I already know what you're going to say."

Flameheart looked guilty. "You do?"

Echobreeze clawed the ground. "Flameheart, you're a medicine cat."

"That didn't stop Leafpool," he defended, sounding exactly like Ivyvine.

Echobreeze shook her head. "Please, Flameheart. It wouldn't work."

"You're in love with Tigerheart, aren't you?"

The question caught her off guard. "Er..." she stammered.

"It's okay," Flameheart mewed. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. I guess...I'm a medicine cat. It couldn't happen, anyway."

Echobreeze breathed in relief. "I'm sorry, Flameheart."

"I'll go tell Tigerheart."

"What?"

Flameheart gave her a rueful look. "We were...sort of, you know..."

"Using me?"

"Not exactly." Flameheart scuffed his forepaws on the ground. "We both loved you. We were just sort of...competing to see..."

"Who I loved."

"Exactly."

"What do you get if you win?"

"You."

Echobreeze shrugged. "I don't know if I love Tigerheart."

"You do."

"Maybe."

"Yes."

"Not definitely!"

"Yes, you do!"

"You sound like Ivyvine."

Flameheart leapt gracefully to his paws and padded outside. "I'll go tell him, okay?"

Echobreeze tipped her head. "Do what you want. But if he's going to pad after me like a moonstruck rabbit, tell him he can go back to ShadowClan."

Flameheart _mrrowed _slightly. "I'll tell him that."

"I already heard."

Tigerheart's muscular frame took up the doorway. Echobreeze caught her breath. He wasn't a bad looking tom...

"You eavesdropped?" Flameheart meowed in mock outraged, cuffing Tigerheart over the ears.

"You eavesdropped on our conversation."

"True."

Tigerheart looked at Echobreeze. "I thought..."

Echobreeze nearly wailed. "I don't know, okay? If this is what real pressure is, I just want the situation to be done with."

"Right."

Echobreeze padded out of the den. She felt Tigerheart and Flameheart looking after her.

Did she love Tigerheart?

What did love feel like?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Echobreeze woke up the next morning. She wondered why the apprentices' den looked so crowded. Then she remembered. She was a warrior.

She moved a little to the left, then staggered as she ran into Tigerheart. He stirred, but didn't wake. Echobreeze was relieved. She needed time alone.

She walked out into the middle of camp and stretched.

"Echobreeze!"

Brackenfur beckoned her over.

"I need you to go on patrol. Cloudtail will lead it." Cloudtail waved his tail over by the camp entrance, with Sorreltail, Mousewhisker, and Dappleberry by his side.

"Right," Echobreeze meowed, and headed over.

Cloudtail's eyes glimmered. "Your first patrol as a warrior, along with Dappleberry," he meowed, and headed out.

Mousewhisker looked at her sympathetically. "And it has to be the dawn patrol. Mine wasn't till sunhigh, and it felt much better." He bounded after Cloudtail.

"Try to keep up!" Sorreltail mewed teasingly, and went after them. Echobreeze and Dappleberry continued after them.

Suddenly, Dappleberry stopped. "I got a thorn in my pad!" she called to the rest of the patrol.

Cloudtail rolled his eyes. "Again? You always get those through the bramble tunnel."

"You guys keep going," Echobreeze meowed. "We'll catch up. I know how to get these out." Cloudtail nodded and continued ahead.

"Now, where's the thorn?" Echobreeze asked.

"I don't have one," Dappleberry admitted.

"Then why'd you stop?" Echobreeze mewed curiously.

"I need to tell you something."

Echobreeze suddenly remembered. "I need to tell you something, too."

"Who first?" Dappleberry asked.

"Same time," Echobreeze decided.

"I can trust you, right?" Dappleberry meowed, studying the ground. "I mean, sister to sister trust?"

Echobreeze swallowed. "Yes," she meowed, realizing it wasn't a lie because even though they weren't sisters, they were still as close.

"Same time," Dappleberry breathed.

"One," Echobreeze mewed.

"Two," Dappleberry continued.

"Three," they both meowed.

Echobreeze said "I'm not your sister" at the same time that Dappleberry said "I'm in love with Tigerheart."

**Oh, great. A cliffie. And we've moved on from the love triangle. Now it's a love SQUARE! GOODNESS, this doesn't look good. I don't feel like blabbering much. Review, please!**


	38. Chapter 35

**Wowee!!!!! Lots of reviews!!!!!! Thanks to all you people. Oh, and check out what I just discovered? The symbols thatare over the comma and the period on the keyboard, the ones you press SHIFT to get to, they don't appear on here!!!!!! Check it out! LOOK!!!!! THEY'RE NOT THERE!!!!!!! No, wait, you WOULDN'T see them, 'cause they...er...**

**DISCLAIMER: If _I _owned Warriors, Bluestar's father wouldn't be such a freak (haha, I read the first seven chapters of Bluestar's Prophecy online!). But I suppose it makes a good topic. SOOOOO...**

"_What_?" each not-sister yowled, leaping to their paws.

Echobreeze trembled with shock. "No, Lionblaze and Hazeltail aren't my parents. And _you love Tigerheart_?"

Dappleberry shuddered. "Yes, and I know you like him, so I had to tell you. But _you're not my sister_?"

"Jayfeather and Cinderheart are my parents."

Dappleberry's amber eyes glinted. "What happens with Tigerheart?"

Echobreeze shrugged. "I...don't love him. I think he's good-looking, though I think I realize that I only thought that because I thought I could live with him as kin...not as a mate."

Dappleberry's legs wobbled. "This is just too much to handle," she whispered.

Echobreeze looked at Dappleberry sternly. "Are you going to tell him?"

"What?" Dappleberry's mew was shocked, and her eyes were as round as moons. She scrambled backwards. "I couldn't."

"Yes, you can," Echobreeze meowed soothingly, licking her foster sister's ears. "I could tell him for you. I'm bound to have to talk to him anyway, tell him I don't love him back."

Dappleberry looked unsure. "Okay, then..."

"Good," Echobreeze mewed firmly. "Now, let's catch up to the patrol."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You...don't?" Tigerheart meowed, seeming shocked.

Echobreeze shook her head. "No, Tigerheart, I don't."

Tigerheart breathed out sadly.

Echobreeze didn't really know how to tell him about Dappleberry, so she decided to wing it. "Tigerheart, Dappleberry likes you. A lot."

Tigerheart looked at her in amazement. "She does?" he murmured.

Echobreeze nodded.

Tigerheart shrugged. "I guess...I have some thinking to do." He padded out of the warriors' den, seemingly lost in thought.

Echobreeze sighed and made her way to the nursery to visit the kits.

"WindClan attack!"

Echobreeze looked around wildly for the WindClan warriors streaming into the camp, but instead Darkkit and Marshkit pounced on her back, and Rosekit bit hard on her tail.

"Ow!" she yowled playfully, swatting the kits off her back. "Is that any way to treat a warrior?"

Darkkit growled and dropped into a crouch. "WindClan warriors, yes!" he hissed, and pounced again. Echobreeze rolled out of the way and hit him gently with her paw, claws sheathed.

Darkkit fell dramatically to the ground. "You've killed me," he moaned, his tongue lolling.

Echobreeze raised her smarting tail in front of her eyes and was surprised to see an angry red cut. "Rosekit, you've got some sharp fangs."

Rosekit flashed her teeth. "Thank you."

Petalkit was studying Darkkit intensely. "So, that's how you do it?" she squeaked.

Darkkit nodded. "It takes down most warriors, even if they're bigger."

Petalkit jumped up and down excitedly. "I'll be a good warrior!" she exclaimed. She knocked into Onekit repeatedly. "Won't I, Onekit? Won't I? You're my brother, you gotta answer."

Onekit sighed and closed his eyes. "Petalkit, yes, you'll be a good warrior. But you have to remember, I'm not your brother."

Echobreeze's heart went out to the two little kits. Poor Petalkit's motherhad died when she was born, and Snowpetal wasn't a cat you could easily call a father. Onekit had great courage to tell Petalkit the truth when she was so young.

Petalkit tipped her head at Onekit. "But you're as close to me as a brother. So, can't you be my brother?"

Onekit's eyes held a tenderness far past his age. "Yes, Petalkit, I'll be your brother." He turned to Echobreeze. "So, let me see that tail of yours."

Echobreeze held out her tail tip for him to see. Onekit nodded wisely. "Marigold, I'd think. You should probably let Jayfeather see it." His face wrinkled in disgust. "Or _Flameheart_."

"What's wrong with Flameheart?" she meowed.

"Jayfeather can't have _two _apprentices!" Onekit wailed. "What am I going to do?"

Echobreeze licked his ears softly. "I'm sure Jayfeather will work it out," she whispered.

Darkkit jumped to his feet and puffed out his chest. "Are we gonna become apprentices soon?" he whined. "We're nearly six moons old!"

"Yeah, and I want to get out of Eaglekit's den," Rosekit added, wrinkling her nose. "He takes up too much room."

"So does Emberkit," Marshkit added.

Eaglekit and Emberkit came out of the nursery.

"That's not nice!" Eaglekit complained. "Echobreeze, make them take that back!"

Echobreeze shrugged. "Talk to Poppyfrost."

Poppyfrost looked out of the den. "Eaglekit, it's only in good fun," she meowed teasingly. "Besides, you _do _take up a lot of room."

Echobreeze flicked her tail. "I'll go remind Bramblestar about your apprenticeship," she meowed. "He's been having ceremonies so much lately, I doubt he'll mind another." Echobreeze went under the Highledge to the leader's den and called, "Bramblestar?"

"Come in, Echobreeze."

Echobreeze pushed through the lichen and looked around his den, which still carried the lingering scent of Firestar. "Just wanted to remind you about Roseleaf's kits becoming apprentices," she meowed.

"Yes," Bramblestar mewed, "I haven't forgotten. I was going to wait a few more days. It seems like we've had a lot of ceremonies and tragedies lately."

Echobreeze nodded. "Thanks, Bramblestar." She backed out of the den.

**That just ended nicely. I'm sick of romance, and this love SQUARE! So I decided to get rid of it, and after a few more chapters, we'll move on from the..._preliminary _stages, I suppose. Bluestar's Prophecy comes out July 28th, remember!!!!!**


	39. Chapter 36

**THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But you must review even more to fulfill my evil plot to destroy the world with Hulu...MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! Oh, and I know that everyone on the patrol's name begins with B. I meant to do that...  
**

Echobreeze sighed and looked up at the stars as she stumbled along in the moonhigh patrol.

It had been two moons since Bramblestar had become leader, and it seemed a phase of peace had entered the Clans. Bumblefoot had decided to continue training Berrypaw, and it was obvious he was falling for her. Ashpaw and Berrypaw were close to receiving their names. Darkpaw, Marshpaw, and Rosepaw had become apprentices. Lionblaze and Hazeltail had made up, as well as Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, and now Squirrelflight just announced that she was expecting Bramblestar's kits. Tigerheart and Dappleberry had become mates about a moon ago. Millie had kitted, having a she-cat and a tom, who she named Leafkit and Firekit.

"Keep up, Echobreeze!" Brackenfur called, and Echobreeze hurried to catch up with him, Birchfall, Bumblefoot, and Berrypaw.

Berrypaw sighed and looked at Echobreeze. "I can't wait to become a warrior," she meowed dreamily as Brackenfur, Birchfall, and Bumblefoot pulled ahead. "Then Bumblefoot and I can be real mates."

"Good for you," Echobreeze meowed absentmindedly.

Berrypaw raced to catch up with Bumblefoot, and he greeted her with a purr. Echobreeze sighed again, and felt a slight tug of longing.

"Echobreeze!"

Dappleberry came crashing through the brambles, obviously not caring as they snagged her fur.

"I need to talk to you!"

"What is it?" Echobreeze hissed as the patrol went out of earshot.

Dappleberry studied her paws. "Flameheart just told me that I'm expecting kits."

Echobreeze felt a jolt of confused feelings. She swallowed them down and meowed, "That's...great! Tigerheart's?" Dappleberry nodded. "He'll be so happy when he hears!"

"But that's the problem," Dappleberry wailed quietly. "I don't know what he'll think!"

Echobreeze licked her ears comfortingly. "I'm sure he'll be pleased. How many?"

"Four." Dappleberry's voice quavered.

"The nursery will be getting crowded. Onekit will become an apprentice soon, but Eaglekit and Emberkit still have two moons after that."

"Echobreeze?" Brackenfur sounded annoyed. "We're heading back now. I know Dappleberry's with you, so both of you should head back to camp."

"You'd better tell Tigerheart, then move into the nursery," Echobreeze mewed. "I'll come with you."

The two she-cats raced through the undergrowth, matching stride for stride until they were in the middle of camp. Brackenfur and Birchfall were just disappearing inside the warriors' den, and, after touching noses with Berrypaw, Bumblefoot went after them. Berrypaw went into the apprentices' den, and the only cats left in the clearing were Mousewhisker, Graystripe, and Tigerheart.

Mousewhisker and Graystripe, sensing that the three cats were going to talk about something important, finished their conversation and departed to the warriors' den. Echobreeze listened for Blossomflower, who was on guard, and made sure she couldn't hear. Then she mewed, "Tigerheart, Dappleberry has to tell you something."

Tigerheart looked at his mate, the love apparent in his eyes, more than what he could have ever showed toward Echobreeze. "What is it?"

Dappleberry shuffled uncomfortably. "Tigerheart...I'm...expecting your kits."

Tigerheart's amber eyes widened. He locked gazes with Dappleberry, and after a few moments, he purred loudly and twined his tail with Dappleberry's.

"That's wonderful!" he gasped. "I'm going to be a father!"

Dappleberry started to purr too, and they walked together into the crowded nursery, where Echobreeze heard quiet murmurs of congratulations come up from the queens and kits.

Echobreeze breathed and laid down in the middle of camp.

She was happy for Dappleberry...

But why did she feel so empty inside?

**Awww, poor Echobreeze feels alone. I WISH she could be mateless. SHE DOESN'T NEED A TOM TO COMPLETE HER! Wait, yes, she does. Dangit. Dang_kit_. I'm sick of beating around the bush. Next chapter is going to be EXTREMELY MUSHY, so MUSHY ALERT! MUSHINESS IS COMING!!!!!!! Here's an update of the allegiances while I'm at it.**

**Leader-Bramblestar**

**Deputy-Brackenfur**

**Medicine Cat-Jayfeather**

**Apprentice, Flameheart**

**Warriors: Squirrelflight**

**Dustpelt**

**Sandstorm**

**Cloudtail**

**Sorreltail**

**Apprentice, Rosepaw  
**

**Thornclaw**

**Brightheart**

**Spiderleg**

**Apprentice, Ashpaw  
**

**Birchfall**

**Graystripe**

**Berrynose**

**Mousewhisker**

**Apprentice, Marshpaw  
**

**Cinderheart**

**Lionblaze**

**Icestorm**

**Foxpelt**

**Apprentice, Darkpaw  
**

**Toadspots**

**Whitewing**

**Bumblefoot**

**Apprentice, Berrypaw  
**

**Briarthorn**

**Blossomflower**

**Tawnypelt**

******Tigerheart**

******Dawnlight  
**

**Smokefur**

**Dewleaf**

**Ivyvine**

**Dovewing**

**Fogpelt**

**Goldenclaw**

**Echobreeze  
**

**Queens: Ferncloud**

**Daisy; mother of Spiderleg's kit: Onekit**

**Poppyfrost; mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Eaglekit, Emberkit; suckling Snowpetal and Petalfur's kit: Petalkit**

**Millie; mother of Graystripe's kits: Leafkit, Firekit**

**Squirrelflight; expecting Bramblestar's kits**

**Dappleberry; expecting Tigerheart's kits  
**

**Elders: Longtail**


	40. Chapter 37

**I hope you all heeded my mushiness alert, because I need to get real mushy. I DON'T WANT TO!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the Echobreeze bloodline must continue, and therefore sacrifices must be made. Like WOMAN INDEPENDENCE. So get in or get off of the rollercoaster, 'cause here we go.**

Echobreeze pondered her thoughts. After a few sunrises, she came to a conclusion.

_I'm in love._

_With Flameheart._

She couldn't deny it any longer. She was in love with a medicine cat, who was in love with her.

Echobreeze sunk her claws into the ground as Bramblestar called the meeting. She barely listened as he gave Ashpaw and Berrypaw their warrior names. She halfheartedly congratulated the new Ashwind and Berrystorm. Her mind was just fixed on her, and Flameheart, and their forbidden love.

Echobreeze deliberately stuck a thorn in her paw, just so she could see Flameheart and tell him. She _hated _how he was the only thing she could think about. At the same time, she _hated _how it was forbidden. She _hated _how she had to be so straight with her feelings. She _hated _that it would never work.

Flameheart looked at her, surprised, as she came into the medicine cats' den, his blue eyes glowing with nothing more than friendship. "I would've thought that you could get that out yourself," he meowed, and gripped the thorn between his teeth.

Echobreeze winced as the bright red blood gushed out of her paw. She checked to make sure that no cat was around, then meowed, "Flameheart, I need to tell you something."

"You always need to tell some cat something," Flameheart murmured with the thorn still between his teeth, looking for a place to set it down while they talked.

"Flameheart, I think I'm in love. With you."

The thorn dropped from his jaws, and Flameheart gaped at her. Echobreeze just returned his gaze evenly, her misty blue eyes sincere.

Flameheart slowly sat back on his haunches and closed his mouth. He seemed to ponder it for a while, and Echobreeze waited patiently.

Finally he stood back up and picked up the thorn. "You know, it's just like you said. It's against the warrior code. It could never happen."

Echobreeze shrugged. "You're right. I just...felt that it was about time I came out straight with you."

"And if ShadowClan ever lets us back in, we'll go back to ShadowClan."

Echobreeze stayed in her shrugging position. "I've said what I've needed to say."

Flameheart clawed the moss nests angrily, again dropping the thorn. "That's just the problem, though! I'm in love with you, too! And I can't be! I don't know which I love more. Being a medicine cat, or you."

Echobreeze felt that her heart might burst at the pressure of the moment. She shook her head. "I don't know, Flameheart. All I know is that I love you. I love you. You can choose your own path."

Flameheart's blue eyes glimmered.

"I mean, it's not like we could be mates," Echobreeze whispered.

Flameheart jumped angrily. "But we could!" he hissed. "No cat would ever have to know!"

"You choose."

Flameheart sighed. "I love you, Echobreeze," he murmured. "I love you, more than anything else. Even being a medicine cat." Flameheart pressed his pelt against hers, and Echobreeze breathed in his warm, comforting scent, savoring the moment that could never last.

**Awww, if it was anyone but Echobreeze, I would think that was really cute! Like, if it was Tigerheart and Dappleberry. But, since it was Echobreeze...DIE FLAMEHEART DIE!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, I think he's still got a long life ahead of him. Dangit. You don't even have to review if you don't want. That was just too disgusting to review about. EEEEEUUGGGHHH!!!!!!!!**


	41. Chapter 38

**Okay...so a lot of you weren't happy about Echobreeze and Flameheart together, because none of the medicine cats have been faithful since Featherwhisker, the medicine cat before Spottedleaf. And it's true. But I'm telling you now, it's about to get more complicated than you could ever imagine...more mushiness ahead, so watch out.  
**

Echobreeze walked into the nursery and breathed the warm, milky air.

She looked down at Dappleberry, whose growing belly promised the arrival of four kits.

It had been a half-moon since Echobreeze's confession, and lately Flameheart and Echobreeze had taken to meeting secretly at night by the lake, where they would just sit with their pelts pressed together and talk about the day.

Echobreeze could barely fit in the crowded nursery. There was Ferncloud, Daisy and Onekit, Poppyfrost with Eaglekit, Emberkit, and Petalkit, Millie with Leafkit and Firekit, Squirrelflight with her growing belly, and Dappleberry with her own. Echobreeze could barely move around.

"Hi, Dappleberry," she grunted as Eaglekit shot over her back and landed just next to her. "How's it going?"

Dappleberry laid her tail over her belly. "These little kits are warriors already," she purred. "Sometimes I even feel the one kick."

"That's great," Echobreeze mewed unenthusiastically as Emberkit charged into her side, unbalancing her slightly. "I'm glad I'm not in here."

"I bet it's going to get even more crowded soon," Dappleberry purred as Petalkit clambered over her. "You see Bumblefoot and Berrystorm, Smokefur and Goldenclaw, Fogpelt and Dewleaf, Foxpelt and Briarthorn, Toadspots and Blossomflower. Maybe even Ashwind and Ivyvine, I'm not sure."

"Ashwind and Ivyvine?" Echobreeze purred. "Ivyvine _hates _Ashwind."

"You never know," Dappleberry mewed, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Then there are all the old pairs of mates, like Dustpelt and Ferncloud, Birchfall and Whitewing, Spiderleg and Daisy...again, you never know."

_You never know. _The words seemed to ring in Echobreeze's ears.

Dappleberry suddenly gasped in pain, and Echobreeze started forward. Then Dappleberry purred. "It's okay, Echobreeze. Just a little spasm."

"If you're sure..." Echobreeze meowed uncertainly.

A kit started wailing.

Dappleberry looked around. "You probably want to get out of here. It gets kind of noisy."

Echobreeze nodded and backed out.

She ran into a ginger shape.

"Flameheart!" she gasped.

Flameheart looked down at her, his blue eyes twinkling and his jaws full of herbs. "I'm taking these to the queens," he meowed. He studied her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Echobreeze meowed absentmindedly.

Flameheart bent down and whispered, "Meet me in the medicine cats' den."

Echobreeze nodded and headed over, making sure no cat was watching.

Jayfeather was inside, sorting herbs.

"Hi, Jayfeather," she meowed casually.

Jayfeather grunted. "Hey, Echopaw."

"I'm Echo_breeze _now, remember?" she mewed, annoyed at her father.

Jayfeather's blind eyes raked over her pelt. "You seem to big to be an apprentice," he meowed. "I suppose you'd be a warrior, then."

Just then, Cinderheart came in, looking disheveled and wild-eyed. She saw Echobreeze, and nodded.

"Jayfeather. I'm so sorry!"

Jayfeather looked at Cinderheart, genuine worry flickering behind his mask of hardness. "About what?"

Cinderheart sat down and breathed deeply. "That I've kept this from you for so long."

"Kept what from me?" Jayfeather seemed to be becoming increasingly agitated.

Cinderheart flicked her tail at Echobreeze. "There's no point stalling," she mewed heavily. "Jayfeather, Echobreeze is your daughter."

Jayfeather's eyes widened. He looked from Echobreeze to Cinderheart and back to Echobreeze.

"What?" he mewed faintly.

Cinderheart's blue eyes shone only with love. "I'm sorry, Jayfeather," she whispered. "I...kept it from you. I didn't know how you'd react."

Jayfeather sat down swiftly. "Tell me everything." Echobreeze swiveled her ears toward her mother, and was also surprised that Jayfeather didn't seem surprised.

Cinderheart breathed in deeply. "Hazeltail and I were both expecting kits, so I told Hazeltail of my problem. That I couldn't have kits, especially since they would probably look like Jayfeather. And everyone always knew I liked Jayfeather. So Hazeltail agreed to help me, and we went out, past the Moonpool. Hazeltail had her three kits a half-moon before me. The kits didn't know what was going on. We convinced them it was all a dream. I don't know how that worked....But anyway, then I had one kit. We took them back and told everyone that Hazeltail had had her kits outside of Clan territory because she had been escaping a badger, and I had found her and, in a lapse of judgment, decided to help her."

Echobreeze looked at her mother ruefully. Jayfeather was just silent.

Flameheart came inside the den, and looking from Jayfeather to Cinderheart to Echobreeze, he meowed, "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing, Flameheart," Jayfeather growled. "We were just talking."

Echobreeze padded outside, away from her parents, and looked at the tom she thought she loved.

Thought.

She realized that her life would always be too complicated for a mate, especially a forbidden one. And she realized that maybe she didn't love Flameheart. They had never officially been mates yet, so she realized that maybe it was time to stop.

"Flameheart, this won't work," she mewed in a low voice.

Flameheart looked stunned. "Wh-what?"

"This won't work. You and me. It's forbidden, and my life as a warrior is too complicated to have a mate. _Especially _one that's forbidden. So, I'm sorry, Flameheart. But it's time to stop."

Flameheart nodded slowly, his blue eyes glistening with sadness. "I knew it," he whispered. "I knew it."

Echobreeze shrugged. "I guess I'm a heartbreaker."

She turned away from the cat she had thought she had loved and stalked into the warriors' den.

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha, bet ya didn't see THAT comin' did ya? Oh, and sorry, Honeyflower07, I know I told you it was definite, but I decided differently...............**


	42. Chapter 39

**Okay, so I just want to let you know. I'm getting kind of desperate, since all the cats are now inter-related. So I looked it up, and I discovered that cats can mate with any cat they want to, even their siblings and their parents. I'm not THAT desperate...yet. But I will be getting as close as cousins. Sorry, that's kind of wrong to us, but not to a cat.**

Echobreeze inhaled the crisp morning air. It was the day after she told Flameheart she didn't love him anymore, and he seemed to be taking it well. Echobreeze felt even better. She had felt oppressed by her forbidden love, and now she felt lighter than air, freer than she had before.

Bumblefoot and Berrystorm were heading out of camp. When they saw Echobreeze just standing there, Bumblefoot called, "Echobreeze, do you want to come hunting with us?"

"Sure," she called back, and raced over to the entrance, where the three cats headed out.

Bumblefoot caught four plump mice, Berrystorm caught a squirrel and two voles, and Echobreeze caught a rabbit, a squirrel, and a mouse. The three cats headed back to camp with their loads and dropped them on the already full fresh-kill pile. This greenleaf had been especially plentiful, and it had brought almost too much fresh-kill, so much that a hunting patrol wasn't necessary as much as it was in leaf-bare.

"Very good," Bramblestar meowed, padding up to them. "I don't think I'll need to send out a hunting patrol any time soon. Anyhow, I think it's time for Onekit's apprentice ceremony."

Echobreeze felt almost a sickening feeling. The Clan already had two medicine cats; would Bramblestar allow a third?

Bramblestar called together a meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

All of the warriors groggily came out and stretched. Cloudtail muttered, "He calls so many meetings now that it's basically part of the daily routine."

The kits came tumbling out of the nursery, Firekit and Leafkit scrabbling at each other, Petalkit bouncing around Onekit, and Eaglekit and Emberkit complaining to Poppyfrost, "Why can't we be apprentices? We're even bigger than Onekit!"

Poppyfrost licked each of her son's heads respectively. "Onekit is still older than you," she mewed gently, and she looked sadly at the black-and-white Eaglekit, who looked so much like her dead son Eaglepaw.

Echobreeze started daydreaming, just staring at Onekit, whose fur was smoothed down so flat that it looked unnatural.

"Mother!" he meowed, sounding annoyed as she busily tried to wash his pelt even as he climbed up the Highledge.

Echobreeze looked at the clouds scuttling by and wondered what they were made of.

"...shall now be known as Onepaw..."

Echobreeze suddenly had a terrible jolt in the pit of her stomach. _What's happening? _she thought, panicked.

_"Something terrible is about to happen..."_

_"Bluestar?"_

_"I try to warn ThunderClan the best I can, but sometimes there's nothing you can do..."_

"...chosen a special path as a medicine cat..."

_"Bluestar, what's going to happen?"_

_"Not right now, Echobreeze, relax."_

"...will be apprenticed by both Jayfeather and Flameheart..."

_"Then why are you warning me?"_

_"A repeat of the past, Echobreeze, a repeat of the past."_

"...Onepaw! ...Onepaw!"

_"How soon is it?"_

_"I can't tell you, Echobreeze. Not today, but maybe tomorrow. Maybe four seasons. But you must be prepared, for this is a repeat, yes, but bigger than the first time."_

The pain in Echobreeze's gut stopped, and she slumped to the ground, gasping.

"Echobreeze?" Onepaw meowed concernedly, padding up to her. "Are you okay?"

Echobreeze felt her mouse coming up in her throat. "Something horrible is going to happen!" she choked out, and her mind went black.

**Haha! VEEEEEEEERY cliffie-like, if you ask me, though I'm not exactly sure you peoples' definitions of 'cliffies'...but _I _think it's cliffie-like. Heh heh, I appreciate all your reviews, but you MUST review even MOOOOOOORE!!!!!!!!!!**


	43. Chapter 40

**Shnaahaahaahaahaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Echobreeze shivered in the chilly night air. It had been a moon and a half since her premonition, and lately the pain in her gut had come back, and it was getting worse and worse, to the point where it was frankly unbearable. Onepaw had given her everything for bellyache, but none of it had helped in the least. Echobreeze had a feeling that the terrible thing was about to happen soon.

Eaglekit and Emberkit tumbled out of the nursery. "Why can't we have our apprentice ceremonies?" Eaglekit hissed. "We're nearly six moons old!"

Poppyfrost came out after them and licked their heads. "You're not six moons old yet. Still another half-moon to wait."

Darkpaw came up next to Echobreeze. "Are you still feeling sick?" he meowed sympathetically. "That was pretty scary when you passed out those moons ago."

Echobreeze nodded.

Darkpaw stared at the camp entrance with her. "I can feel it, too," he whispered.

Echobreeze looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I can feel it. Something bad is about to happen." Darkpaw looked up at Echobreeze. "Marshpaw and Rosepaw feel it, too. We've tried telling our mentors about it, but they won't listen. They say we're wrong." Darkpaw gazed at her. "But I know that even if we're wrong, you're right. And you're saying that something bad is about to happen, right?"

Marshpaw and Rosepaw suddenly were behind Darkpaw. "You told her?" Marshpaw hissed.

"Yes," Echobreeze mewed softly.

"What is it?" Marshpaw hissed. "What is this...force?"

Rosepaw whimpered.

"Force?" came a whisper. Echobreeze and the apprentices whirled around to see Petalkit. "What force? The same one that I feel?"

"That I feel?" came Onepaw's voice.

"That we feel?" Eaglekit and Emberkit.

"That one?" Firekit and Leafkit.

Echobreeze looked at the apprentices and kits surrounding her. "Why is it only us?" she wondered. "Why has StarClan chosen us to pass on this message? Apprentices, kits, and a new warrior. Why?"

"What should we do about it?" Rosepaw meowed, looking up at Echobreeze.

"Whatever it is, it's coming," Echobreeze whispered. "Now. I can feel it. Can't you?"

The other cats nodded.

Echobreeze drew herself up, realizing that she was the leader of this group. "We have to get prepared. Now." She gazed at them all. "Onepaw, go, make sure you have plenty of herbs. If you need more, Rosepaw, help him. Darkpaw, check the ShadowClan border. Marshpaw, check WindClan's border, and I'll check the other border."

"What can we do?" Eaglekit meowed seriously, his black-and-white pelt bristling.

"Yeah!" Leafkit mewled, clawing at the ground in anticipation.

Echobreeze bit her tongue as she looked at the kits. She didn't want to put them in danger; what could she do?

Suddenly, a fresh, clean scent hit the roof of her mouth. She inhaled it deeply, and she felt two small starry shapes twine around her body.

_Don't worry, _Jay squeaked. _We'll protect them._

_Yeah. We don't want any other kits joining us in StarClan yet, _Lion agreed.

Echobreeze felt them leave her, and she thought she could just make a faint outline of two shining kits, walking among the other five, seeming to give them strength and courage.

Echobreeze nodded. "You kits can guard the camp," she meowed firmly. "Stay by the entrance. Warn the warriors of anything peculiar."

The five kits nodded determinedly and bounded away. The apprentices hesitated for a moment, then dispersed.

Echobreeze followed Darkpaw and Marshpaw out of the camp, then split to her respective border. She walked along it carefully, taking in everything. She didn't find anything odd, so she went back over it. Worried that Darkpaw and Marshpaw might be getting bored, she started heading to WindClan's border, because she knew Marshpaw had the shorter attention span.

Suddenly, pain shot through her stomach, and she collapsed to the ground as Bluestar came into her vision.

_It is coming._

**WHOA.**


	44. Chapter 41

**Blah blah blah...**

Panicked, Echobreeze raced back to camp. She was relieved to see that all was calm, and that the kits were still playing by the camp entrance. Onepaw and Rosepaw were sorting through herbs and putting new ones in their stores. Darkpaw came in soon after her.

"Didn't see anything," he murmured, then looked around. "Where's Marshpaw?"

Echobreeze was about to answer when suddenly a yowl sounded from far away.

Rosepaw shot out of the den. "That sounded like Marshpaw!" she gasped.

Darkpaw tensed as he prepared to spring out to help his brother, but Echobreeze held him back. "Wait," she hissed. "We can't risk you, too."

The kits stood at either side of the entrance fearfully, casting glances at each other but breaking away from each others' gazes quickly. Darkpaw, Rosepaw, and Echobreeze tensed, staring at the bramble entrance.

A disheveled cream-colored streak shot through the entrance.

Marshpaw gasped loudly for air. "They're coming!" he wheezed. "Badgers!"

There was a roar, and the bramble tunnel was destroyed as a mass of black and white charged into the camp.

Echobreeze watched in horror as one of the badgers stepped on little Petalkit. Snarling, she lunged at it and clawed it so it staggered backwards. She looked down at Petalkit, and was amazed and relieved to see that Petalkit didn't look anything more than ruffled, with the faint outline of a black kit stretched over her protectively.

Echobreeze scooped up Petalkit as Jay shot to protect Firekit. "We need to get the kits to safety!" she meowed to Darkpaw through a mouthful of kit, as warriors sprang at badgers everywhere.

Darkpaw nodded and snatched up Leafkit. Marshpaw shook off his weariness and got Firekit, and Rosepaw picked up a protesting Emberkit, who Echobreeze knew was always the weaker of the two brothers.

Echobreeze kinked her tail at Eaglekit. "Follow us," she commanded through Petalkit's fur. She sprinted off, hoping that the apprentices were faring well and helping Eaglekit along.

She came to the side of the camp where so many moons ago Snowpetal had escaped to meet Petalfur on the Gathering island. Scrambling up the cliff, she managed to get to the top, where Ferncloud was already leading Daisy under a holly bush.

"Echobreeze!" she meowed, sounding relieved. "Bring Petalkit over here. Daisy and I will take care of the kits."

Darkpaw came over the cliff with Leafkit, and leapt back down, where he came up behind Marshpaw and Rosepaw with a squirming Eaglekit in his mouth.

"I want to fight!" Eaglekit snarled.

Ferncloud wrapped her tail around him. "It's not your time yet, little one," she soothed as Daisy brought Firekit, Leafkit, and Emberkit close to her.

"Thank you," Daisy whispered. "Now, go and fight."

Echobreeze and the apprentices nodded and launched themselves down to the camp, where Echobreeze immediately lost them to a fury of fur and blood. She clawed at countless badgers, not realizing where she was heading, until suddenly she fell against Brightheart, who saw her and meowed in a panicked voice, "Quick, go get a medicine cat! Squirrelflight and Dappleberry are both having their kits!"

Echobreeze remembered Longtail's stories of the previous badger battle, where Sorreltail had had her kits. "Bluestar said it would be twice as bad," she muttered to herself as she looked around.

Brightheart stared around wildly. "There seem to be twice as many badgers as before!"

_Twice as bad._

"We lost two cats before."

_Twice as bad._

Echobreeze leapt into the medicine cats' den, where Jayfeather and Flameheart were gathering herbs and preparing wraps, with Flameheart every now and then clawing at a badger.

"Dappleberry and Squirrelflight are having their kits!" Echobreeze gasped.

Jayfeather hissed, and Flameheart dropped his wrap.

"Flameheart, take care of them," Jayfeather meowed. "Get Onepaw to help you. I need to help the wounded." Flameheart nodded and grabbed some herbs. Echobreeze ran with him, grabbing Onepaw by the scruff and fighting a badger at the same time. Finally, she tumbled into the nursery, blood staining her gray tabby pelt.

Squirrelflight was grimacing, looking up wearily at the three cats, while Dappleberry was convulsing wildly as contractions shot through her like wildfire.

"Bad time, isn't it?" Squirrelflight winced.

"Very," Echobreeze meowed breathlessly, and jumped back into the fray, praying that Dappleberry would be okay.

Poppyfrost and Millie were together, defending the nursery. Echobreeze could see that they were tiring since they were so out of practice. She helped them beat off the badger, and then worked on another. It agonized her to hear Squirrelflight gasping for air and Dappleberry crying out in pain.

Bramblestar and Tigerheart grimly fought beside her, Poppyfrost, and Millie, and for a while Echobreeze actually had hope. They might be able to beat off the badgers. Everything would be okay.

Suddenly, a badger swatted them all aside. Echobreeze hit the ground, hard, and her vision went fuzzy. She saw the other four cats fall, too, barely stirring because of the brute strength of this huge badger. Echobreeze heard Squirrelflight hiss protectively and Dappleberry scream. Echobreeze staggered to her feet, but everything was swimming. Poppyfrost was twitching slightly, and a huge gash on her shoulder was bleeding heavily. Millie was coughing, and a trickle of blood oozed out of her mouth. Tigerheart was snarling weakly, and Echobreeze thought she saw a faint, starry form of Bramblestar rise from his body.

"Flameheart, no!" came Onepaw's voice.

Echobreeze's head cleared immediately. She stumbled into the nursery. Dappleberry was still writhing in her nest, but Squirrelflight had left her nest and three little bundles squirming and crying. Squirrelflight stalked around the limp body of Flameheart and lunged at the giant badger. It swatted her aside easily, and raked its claws down her side. Then it advanced on Dappleberry, who didn't even seem to know what was going on, her eyes glazed with her own pain.

Anger seemed to roar inside Echobreeze. She didn't even know what was happening. She lunged at the badger in her blind fury, clawing and biting and raking it, feeling its warm blood soak her pelt. The badger couldn't even fight back, she was so swift and cunning and strong. Roaring, it swatted randomly, blundering on top of Squirrelflight's kits. Everyone gasped, but Echobreeze wasn't worried, because two lithe shapes, one black and one gold, were curled around them, protecting them from the badger.

The badger slumped to the ground, dead.

Echobreeze fell, panting, her legs giving way as the fury died. Dappleberry was still screeching. Onepaw was still in shock. Squirrelflight was bleeding her life out as her kits mewled weakly for milk.

Everything seemed surreal as Echobreeze crawled out of the nursery. Bramblestar seemed to be losing life after life, as his body was savaged by badgers. Bodies of badgers and a few cats littered the ground, blood stains were splashed everywhere.

Suddenly, Echobreeze felt strength course through her body. Hope surged through her veins. The power of StarClan was behind her, and she stood up on the Highledge and looked down at the carnage.

Echobreeze snarled, but she heard it herself as a lion's roar. She plunged into the battle, and somehow, she never got touched. Badgers wailed and blundered out of the camp, a few falling back in and breaking their necks. Cats cleared out of the way until it was just her and Lionblaze, fighting all the badgers, never getting harmed. Badger after badger ran away as the cats watched in awe at her and her uncle's power.

It seemed like only a second, or maybe an eternity, since she started, but suddenly, all the badgers were gone. Echobreeze stood tall and proud, when suddenly, weariness overtook her, and she blacked out.

It sounded like StarClan whispering in her ear.

_"...The one shall rise..."_

**Hmmmm...I found that quite bizarre.**


	45. Chapter 42

**La-di-da...**

Echobreeze awoke to the stone ceiling of the medicine cats' den.

Jayfeather was over her, his blind eyes gazing into hers. "You're awake," he meowed simply, giving no special concern to his daughter. He shoved herbs in front of her. "Eat these."

Echobreeze licked up the bitter herbs. "Who's dead?" she croaked, her mouth dry.

Jayfeather didn't answer. He put wet moss in front of her. "Drink."

Echobreeze gratefully licked up the water. When she drank her fill, she asked again, "Who's dead?"

"Go see for yourself."

Echobreeze got unsteadily to her paws and looked around the den. It was empty. When she threw a questioning glance at Jayfeather, he meowed, "The rest of the wounded are outside. I couldn't fit them all in my den."

Echobreeze stumbled outside and looked around. Blood stains were still everywhere, but the badger bodies were gone. She looked around at the injured all sleeping around Jayfeather's den. Poppyfrost with her shoulder wound. Birchfall with two dislocated back legs. Smokefur, who was so horribly mauled that he looked worse than Brightheart. Those were just a few.

Echobreeze went past them to the dead cats, whom the healthy cats were sitting vigil for. Graystripe had three of his legs broken, as well as a long scratch down his side. Millie had her throat torn out. Flameheart's head was abnormally squashed, which Echobreeze guessed was a broken skull. The last was Bramblestar, whose body barely looked like a cat anymore, since it had been savaged by badgers.

"Oh, Flameheart," she whispered, looking at her friend, "Why?"

Echobreeze looked at the sky. It was sunhigh, and she guessed that she had been unconscious for a day.

A wail came from the nursery, and after a few moments, Onepaw came out and raised his gaze to the sun.

"That was the last kit," he meowed sounding exhausted, and Echobreeze noticed the congealed blood along his flank. "Thank StarClan that's over, it took far too long for normal, even with four kits." He looked at Echobreeze. "Oh, so you're awake. Dappleberry's too weak. I'm afraid she may not make it through the night. She can't feed her kits."

Echobreeze sighed. Tigerheart raised his head from Flameheart's body.

"Dappleberry's dead?" he meowed, unsheathing his claws. "Was it a badger?"

"No, she's not, and it wasn't a badger, it would have been her kits," Onepaw replied.

Tigerheart looked back to Flameheart. "Those kits nearly killed my mate?" he hissed.

Onepaw nodded. "I'll do my best to help her, but there's no guarantees."

Tigerheart growled and ran into the nursery. Echobreeze followed him to look at her sister's kits.

Dappleberry wasn't anywhere to be seen, so Echobreeze guessed she had been moved. Squirrelflight wasn't in there either. Ferncloud and Daisy looked exhausted, taking care of Eaglekit, Emberkit, Petalkit, Firekit, Leafkit, Squirrelflight's three kits, and Dappleberry's four.

"But I _want _Millie, not you!" Firekit snarled, batting at Ferncloud's muzzle. "Why doesn't Millie want me anymore?"

"Is Poppyfrost dead?" Emberkit asked Tigerheart.

Tigerheart shook his head. "Badly injured."

Emberkit breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Firekit and Leafkit.

"Millie is, though, isn't she?"

Tigerheart nodded.

"Squirrelflight?"

"Not yet."

"Dappleberry?"

Tigerheart sunk his claws into the ground. "Almost."

Echobreeze looked at Squirrelflight's three little kits, who were curled up against Ferncloud's belly. Ferncloud sighed. "Smokefur and Dewleaf have long become warriors. I don't have that much milk left. But Squirrelflight's kits are strong, so we gave Dappleberry's to Daisy, who has more milk."

The first kit was a dark brown tabby like his father, and Echobreeze could already see that he would be stockier and muscular like his father. The second was another tom, who was pale ginger like Sandstorm, and seemed ganglier and more lithe. The last was a light brown tabby-and-white she-kit, like Leafpool, who seemed small and delicate, but was obviously strong.

Echobreeze turned sadly to Dappleberry's four, up against Daisy. The first was a black-and-white tom, larger than the rest. The next two were very fluffy. The first one was a smoky gray-black tom, and the other was a pure black she-kit. The last was a black-and-white she-kit, quite a bit smaller than the rest, with a strange crust around her eyes.

"What's wrong with that one?" Echobreeze asked, pointing to the last kit.

Daisy looked at the kit and sighed. "She seemed to be born like that," she mewed. "I don't know what it means. It comes off if I lick it, but it comes back just as quickly. It might be that her eyes will be stuck shut forever."

Echobreeze felt a fierce determination swell inside of her. "I wouldn't let that happen," she hissed.

Tigerheart left the nursery, going to visit Dappleberry. Ferncloud picked up Squirrelflight's first kit gently in her jaws, Eaglekit picked up the second, and Echobreeze darted in to help with the third.

"We're going to take them to visit Squirrelflight," Ferncloud mewed through a mouthful of crying kit. "She won't be able to feed them, because of that long cut down her belly, but it'll do her good to see them."

Echobreeze followed Ferncloud out of the den, with Eaglekit just behind her, the kit's tail trailing in the dust as it squirmed and cried.

Squirrelflight's head raised from her outside nest as her kits were brought toward her. "My kits," she croaked gratefully, and drew them close with her tail. They wriggled toward her belly, but she blocked them off with her paw, and they clamped their tiny jaws around her paw instead.

"I don't want them to taste blood just yet," she meowed grimly.

"Have you thought of names?" Ferncloud asked gently, blocking Bramblestar's body from view.

Squirrelflight just gazed at her. "Ferncloud, I already know Bramblestar is dead." She laid her tail tip on the Bramblestar look-a-like. "This will be Bramblekit," she meowed softly. She looked at the next tom. "Bramblestar always liked this name--Tanglekit," she mewed. "The last one can be..." She looked up at Ferncloud, her eyes twinkling. "Bramblestar wanted to name one of them Smallkit, Littlekit, or Tinykit. Which do you like?"

"Tinykit seems a bit too exaggerated for this one," Ferncloud meowed, flicking her paw at the normal-sized she-kit. "Littlekit reminds me too much of Littlecloud, not that I don't like him, but still. I think Smallkit is the best."

Squirrelflight looked happily down at her three kits. "Bramblekit, Tanglekit, and Smallkit," she sighed.

"I'd better get them back so they can suckle," Ferncloud meowed, and picked up Bramblekit. Echobreeze picked up Tanglekit, while Eaglekit got Smallkit.

"Take good care of them," Squirrelflight called after them, and then turned to sigh at Bramblestar's body.

Echobreeze made sure Tanglekit was nuzzled into Ferncloud, then looked back down at her sister's kits. Daisy was licking vainly at the smallest kit's eyes, trying to get off the strange crust.

Echobreeze sighed. Was that all a warrior's life was about?

Life and death?

**Hunh. WEEEEELL, I already have names planned for Dappleberry's kits, though I don't know why I didn't mention them here. I was already planning on Bramblekit and Tanglekit, but it took me about ten minutes to think up Smallkit. Yeah, lame, I know. But I think Smallkit's a cute name! Until it comes to WARRIOR names. It's like, what fits? Smalltail. Smallfur. Smallpelt. Smallstripe. Smallfoot. It starts to look like the beginning is either _s'more _or _snail. _Smallwater, Smallstream, Smallsong, Smallbird...hey, Smallbird isn't bad. It's sorta adorable...**


	46. Chapter 43

**So, a lot of you said that toms can't be tortoiseshell. Yeah, I've heard that before, too. But if they can't be tortoiseshell...then why have I seen boy tortoiseshell cats before? And yeah, I'm sure they're boys. I...checked. IT'S A MYSTERY! But anyway, my friend told me that I'd mixed up the pelt colors and a gender. SOOOOOO, I reposted the previous chappie.  
**

Echobreeze looked up as the newly named Brackenstar called the meeting.

"The new deputy shall be Toadspots!"

Toadspots looked stunned to be chosen. Echobreeze was slightly surprised, too, thinking that it would be his half-brother Mousewhisker who was chosen. However, she thought bleakly, Mousewhisker was probably too much of a fussy father to be a good deputy, always trying to get his kits and mate the best mouse, staying right by their side when they so much as coughed...it made a kind-hearted cat, but not a good deputy.

Eaglekit and Emberkit were also made into Eaglepaw and Emberpaw, with the mentors of Icestorm and Brightheart, respectively. Brightheart was overjoyed by getting Emberpaw. "Firestar promised me all those moons ago that I would get Foxpelt or Icestorm as an apprentice!" she meowed excitedly to Emberpaw, who seemed happy with his choice of mentor, in great contrast to Eaglepaw.

"Icestorm's never had an apprentice before," he spat distastefully, as though Icestorm were a bad piece of fresh-kill. "And she's a _she-cat, _anyway. They're not good fighters, they're only good at being mothers."

"Eaglepaw!" Poppyfrost rasped from her nest, looking at her son, shock in her eyes. "Don't speak about your mentor like that!"

"I thought I would get someone good, like Dustpelt or Cloudtail," he meowed sulkily.

Poppyfrost looked helplessly at Echobreeze. "Give him a cuff over the ears, would you?"

Echobreeze did so with relish.

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Echobreeze woke. _The Gathering! _she thought frantically, scrambling to her paws. The Gathering was tonight, and she had been chosen to go by Brackenstar. She had laid down in her nest at sunhigh, and suddenly the moon was rising.

Stumbling out of the warriors' den, she quickly dodged the groaning Smokefur and leapt over the cobweb-covered Berrynose.

"Slow down, Echobreeze!" Toadspots called. "We're not leaving just yet."

Echobreeze felt a wave of relief, and trotted into the nursery to see Dappleberry's kits.

Nothing was quiet. The kits were still awake and excited by something Echobreeze couldn't understand. Ferncloud looked at her and meowed, "Bramblekit, Tanglekit, and Smallkit have opened their eyes."

Echobreeze looked down at Squirrelflight's kits, their eyes wide open and tottering around with the older kits. The kits had blue eyes, like most kits did when they were born, but Echobreeze knew that they would probably change, since neither of their parents had blue eyes.

Daisy looked down at Dappleberry's suckling kits. "Dappleberry was awake a little bit ago, and she told Tigerheart what she wanted to name them, by their descriptions. This first one is Ringkit," she meowed, pointing to the largest, and Echobreeze noticed that he had a black ring around his neck that she hadn't seen before.

"Ringkit," she meowed. "I like it."

"The smoky black tom is Ashkit."

"Ashkit," Echobreeze repeated. "Ashkit is a pretty popular name."

"The pure black she-kit is Nightkit."

"That's pretty."

"And the last one is Spottedkit."

Echobreeze looked intently down at little Spottedkit, whose eyes were still crusted shut.

"Does Jayfeather know what's wrong with her eyes?"

"No. He's just guessing it's a random abnormality."

Echobreeze softly licked Spottedkit's head, who mewled slightly and shifted in the curve of Daisy's belly, kneading her little paws as she suckled.

"I love her," she meowed quietly.

"Who wouldn't?" Daisy meowed kindly.

A shadow was cast across the nursery, and Echobreeze turned around to see Tigerheart silhouetted in the entry way.

He looked at Echobreeze next to his kits, and something flickered in his eyes. Jealousy? Fury? Echobreeze couldn't tell.

"Time to go, Echobreeze," he meowed gruffly, and shuffled away.\

Echobreeze rested her tail tip on each of the little kits and followed Tigerheart out of the nursery.

Tigerheart was just disappearing through the bramble tunnel, and Echobreeze quickly followed.

Echobreeze was padding away when she heard a tiny mewl. Turning around, she saw Ringkit, his eyes squinted, stumbling after her.

"Ringkit!" she gasped, and looked around. Tigerheart was nowhere to be seen.

She padded up to the black and white kit, licked his head, and mewed softly, "You need to get back to the nursery. But I'm glad your eyes are open."

Ringkit gazed up at her with small blue eyes. "Echo?" he squeaked.

Echobreeze felt her heart melt. "Echo_breeze_," she meowed.

"Echobweeze!" Ringkit squealed, bouncing around. "Echobweeze!"

"Get away from my kit."

Echobreeze spun around. Tigerheart was standing before her, his eyes smoldering.

"Wh-what?" Echobreeze stammered.

Tigerheart bared his teeth. "You heard me. _Get away from my kit._"

"Wh-why?"

Tigerheart's amber eyes flashed. "Those kits must know their mother. If you keep taking care of them, they'll think _you're _their mother." He snarled viciously. "And some mother _you _would be to _them_. I care about them too much for them to be dragged into your world of war and death and forbidden loves."

Echobreeze's mouth went dry. "Flameheart is dead," she meowed firmly, more firmly than she felt.

Tigerheart growled and unsheathed his claws. "Get away from my kit!"

"No!" Echobreeze retorted, her heart pounding. "They're my sister's kits, I have a right to take care of them!"

There was a desperate screech, and wails from the cats in the camp.

"Get out of the way!" Tigerheart snarled, and pushed past her, and Echobreeze quickly followed.

Unobserved by both of them, Ringkit had wandered to the edge of the hollow, where he had been looking over the edge, lost his balance, and fallen down to the bottom of the camp. He was laying, unmoving, under the gazes of Jayfeather, Onepaw, and a few warriors.

Onepaw quickly burst to the front of the gathering crowd and pressed his paw on Ringkit's chest. "He's breathing," he confirmed. "Just a dislocated leg, it looks like. Thank StarClan that he fell down from the shorter part of the cliff. If it had been any higher, he wouldn't have survived."

Tigerheart turned on Echobreeze. "_You_!" he hissed.

"What?!" Echobreeze growled defensively.

"_You _were watching him; it was _your _responsibility to make sure he wouldn't get hurt!" Tigerheart was positively yowling now, though no one was paying any attention, they were all crowding around the kit.

"Excuse me," Echobreeze meowed hotly, "if _you _hadn't butted in, he would be safe in the nursery right now! But instead, _you _started coming up with some stupid reason that I shouldn't be near your kits, and _now _look what's happened!"

Ringkit wailed, and Onepaw stepped back. "I set his leg back," he told Jayfeather.

Jayfeather sniffed the leg. "Good job, Onepaw," he meowed approvingly. "Take him to our den."

"Leave my kits alone, Echobreeze," Tigerheart snarled.

"Never," Echobreeze replied furiously, and raced after the Gathering group.

**Hm. Well, I'm sorry. Tigerheart, Echobreeze, and the kits were just going to be one happy family until I read Bluestar's Prophecy. I absolutely LOVED how Snowfur died, then Thistleclaw didn't want Bluefur anywhere near Whitekit...it inspired me. Sorry, Tigerheart, I guess you're going down the path of evil now! Oh, and I made Flameheart have a sticky end because I got sick of him. BUUUUUUUUUUT, Echobreeze is still going to have kits. Just...not yet...but soon. Possibly a hint in the next chapter...possibly not...depends how I feel.**


	47. Chapter 44

**Well, let's get on with the Gathering, shall we?**

Echobreeze was still fuming as she walked over the fallen tree to the Gathering island. How _dare _Tigerheart suggest that she couldn't even go near her own sister's kits? She knew that Dappleberry wasn't her sister, but she was as good as one, and besides, Tigerheart didn't know that.

To her relief, only RiverClan was there. ThunderClan seemingly had gotten there early. Brackenstar leapt up to greet Mistystar, who dipped her head to him after a few solemn words. Toadspots talked excitedly with Reedwhisker, who _mrrowed _with laughter and laid his tail on Toadspots's shoulder.

_So normal, _Echobreeze thought ruefully. _No one could know that a crime is going on right now in the ThunderClan camp..._

Echobreeze padded over to where Bumblefoot, Goldenclaw, and Berrystorm were talking with a group of RiverClan warriors.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Otterheart gasped. "I had no idea that badgers had attacked _again_!"

Berrystorm nodded. "Yeah, and they killed our leader."

Pouncetail looked sympathetic, and brushed pelts with his mate Otterheart. "I hope they don't come after us next," he growled.

"They can't!" Otterheart wailed. "Not with Cloverpaw, Dustpaw, Wolfpaw, and Jumppaw!"

Robinflight came up beside her. "I'll protect Wolfpaw with my life," he hissed, as a small fluffy gray she-cat peeked out from behind him.

"Let's change the subject," Bumblefoot suggested hurriedly.

Pouncetail nodded grimly. "That would be good."

"How are things in RiverClan?" Echobreeze tried.

Robinflight gave her a guarded look. "Fine," he meowed.

"Well, since Berrystorm was being so honest with you, I think you have the right to be honest back," Echobreeze meowed coolly, the late greenleaf breeze rippling through her gray tabby fur.

"Why?" Robinflight mewed suspiciously.

Echobreeze shrugged.

"Robinflight, they're in no state to attack us," Wolfpaw meowed wisely, looking at the cuts still healing on their bodies. "I think it's safe to tell them that we're starving."

"Hush, Wolfpaw!" Robinflight hissed, flicking his tail over her mouth.

Now that Echobreeze looked, the RiverClan cats were looking quite skinny.

"The Twolegs are fishing in your streams?" Echobreeze guessed.

WindClan arrived, and Wolfpaw, her parents, and Echobreeze's Clanmates went off to converse with them.

"Yes," Robinflight growled. "What's it to you?"

Echobreeze shrugged. "I don't know..."

Robinflight shot her a distrustful glare and went off to talk with the WindClan cats, his tortoiseshell-and-white fur bristling. Echobreeze felt as in a sour mood as he looked, so she decided to follow him, just to annoy him.

"What do you want?" Robinflight spat.

Echobreeze raised her eyes to the sky. "Gosh, two cats can't just be walking in the same direction?"

Robinflight sank his claws into the earth. "Leave me alone," he snapped, and moved away. Echobreeze followed.

"Stop it!" he threatened. "Or I'll claw you!"

"You wouldn't," Echobreeze meowed calmly, flicking her tail toward the full moon. "Truce, remember?"

"I'll flay you alive," he warned, and backed away slowly, his teeth still bared in a snarl. Echobreeze found that she enjoyed tormenting him.

ShadowClan arrived just then, and Blackstar didn't waste any time leaping onto the tree and yowling for attention. Echobreeze sat near Robinflight, just to put him on the spot. Robinflight muttered something to himself, but didn't move.

"So, Brackenfur," Blackstar yowled, "it seems that Bramblestar has passed?"

Brackenstar dipped his head. "Yes, Blackstar, and I am no longer Brackenfur, but Brackenstar."

"How did he lose all of his lives? He was a new leader."

"That is for ThunderClan to know."

Berrystorm shifted uncomfortably.

"ShadowClan is doing just fine," Blackstar hissed, as though warning anyone to say otherwise.

"Okay..." Echobreeze murmured. "Why does he seem so angry about it?"

"Something bad is happening with ShadowClan, too," Robinflight whispered back, seeming to forget his annoyance with her. "They haven't been marking their border as much. I don't know if they're too weak, or if they just don't care anymore."

Echobreeze was surprised by this, but then thought to her patrols of the ShadowClan border, and recalled that the scent markers didn't seem as strong, like Robinflight said.

Mistystar stepped forward. "RiverClan is suffering slightly from a loss of fish," she meowed strongly, her gaze sweeping the Clans. "But we are not weakened, because we still have plenty of food."

"Lies," Robinflight muttered. "We're starving."

"Well, I don't blame Mistystar," Echobreeze mumbled. "I mean, she doesn't want her Clan to be attacked. ShadowClan might suddenly decide to raid, you know, because the Clan is weak." Echobreeze avoided saying _your Clan_.

Onestar came forward. "WindClan would like to apologize to Brackenstar for attacking their camp all those moons ago."

Whispers and a few yowls rose throughout the Clans.

Brackenstar looked shocked. "Why, Onestar?"

"It's only because of you, Brackenstar," Onestar meowed, his eyes flashing. This caused more mutters.

"Again, why, Onestar?"

"Because you're no kittypet leader." Onestar gripped the tree branch with his claws. "And I'm trusting that you will rid your Clan of some of its..._weaker _members."

Yowls of outrage came from ThunderClan.

Brackenstar held his ground. "I'm sorry, Onestar, but you are mistaken," he meowed firmly. "ThunderClan has many loyal members, forest-born or not, and none of them deserve to be thrown out."

"I agree with Brackenstar," Robinflight meowed suddenly. Echobreeze was surprised, thinking that most of the other Clans hated their used-to-be-kittypet members. When she threw him a questioning look, Robinflight's eyes lit up with embarrassment, and he mumbled, "Well, most of the kittypets...or kittypets' kin...aren't so bad."

Echobreeze knew that he probably was trying not to offend her, and she felt grateful.

"Also," Onestar mewed, "we have had word from the Tribe of Rushing Water."

"Why would they talk to you, and not us?" Lionblaze yowled. Echobreeze looked around and saw Breezepelt smirking.

"They said they didn't have enough time," Onestar meowed, drawing himself up importantly. "They wanted to tell ThunderClan that the intruders are staying out of their borders, and that Stormfur and Brook are very happy and expecting their first litter of kits."

Yowls of congratulations to the far-away Tribe rose from the cats. Echobreeze's heart ached for Stormfur, whose father Graystripe had just died. Brackenstar looked pleased, for Graystripe was his mentor and he had always had a soft spot for Graystripe's kits, Stormfur and Feathertail.

Brackenstar stepped forward. "I propose that we send a patrol to the Tribe!"

Murmurs of excitement went up.

Brackenstar continued, "I think that the cats who went to the Tribe on the most recent journey, to help with the intruders, should go, and that they can pick one other cat to come with them." Brackenstar looked at the RiverClan cats. "Since there was no RiverClan representative, Mistystar, I believe you can choose two cats to go."

All the leaders agreed, and so Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Crowfeather, Breezepelt, and Tawnypelt were able to pick cats to come. They would be selected back at their own camps, as well as the RiverClan cats, and then meet at the Gathering island at sunhigh the next day.

"See you," Robinflight muttered to Echobreeze as all the cats left.

Echobreeze stared after Robinflight. She hoped that if she was chosen, Robinflight wasn't. She didn't think she could stand his distrustful attitude.

**Haha, there you have it. I suppose that you've probably guessed what's going to happen...and Thunder-Rose-74, if you read this, I just wanted to tell you that I was actually planning for this to happen, seriously. Then I read your story and was like, omigosh, they're doing that too....But I don't necessarily take this as copying, since I was planning to do it, really, so....**


	48. Chapter 45

**Okay then, let's GET IT ON!!!!!!!**

Brackenstar let the chosen cats leap up on the Highledge to choose who they wanted to go on the journey.

Ivyvine slid in an empty spot next to Echobreeze. "Did you notice that they have no ShadowClan representatives, but ShadowClan didn't seem to care?" she whispered.

Echobreeze had noticed. "Maybe they still sort of consider Tawnypelt as ShadowClan?" she suggested.

Ivyvine flashed her a doubtful look, and Echobreeze realized how lame that answer sounded.

Squirrelflight stepped forward. "I think it's only right that one of Hollyleaf's kits should come," she meowed softly, but it resounded around the camp. "Ashwind? Would you come?"

Ashwind stepped forward. "I will join you on your journey," he rumbled. Berrystorm breathed a sigh of relief, and pressed closer to Bumblefoot.

Squirrelflight leapt off the Highledge and joined Ashwind at the foot.

"Lionblaze," Brackenstar called.

"Dovewing!" Lionblaze meowed instantly, then realizing how hastily he had said it, he meowed more slowly, "Yes, Dovewing."

Dovewing joined him, and Ivyvine's eyes flashed with jealousy.

"No fair!" she hissed. "We know Tawnypelt's going to pick one of her kits, and Jayfeather's probably going to pick you or Cinderheart, so that means I won't get to go!" Ivyvine closed her eyes. "I wish Dovewing wasn't even special. I wish we were even."

Echobreeze felt bad for her friend as Tawnypelt called for Dawnlight. That left Jayfeather.

Jayfeather gazed hard in her direction. "Echobreeze."

Murmurs of surprise rose through the Clan.

"Why would he pick Echobreeze?"

"Does he still feel responsible for his former apprentice?"

"Why is he so interested in his one niece, not the other?"

Echobreeze blew out a noisy breath. _Good going, Lionblaze, _she thought furiously. _Go ahead, don't take the cat who's supposed to be your daughter. No, let your brother do that and get the Clan all suspicious!_

"No fair!" Ivyvine wailed again, drawing a few stares. She quickly quieted, though Echobreeze could read her mind as easily as she could catch a mouse. _Sneak away and join them, sneak away and join them..._

Echobreeze sighed. "You'll get in major trouble, but I'm not going to argue."

Ivyvine looked away in embarrassment. "I'm that easy to figure out?"

Onepaw and Jayfeather provided herbs, and as Onepaw passed Echobreeze could hear him muttering herbs under his breath. She realized that with Jayfeather gone, Onepaw would be the only medicine cat, and he was still an apprentice.

"You'll be fine," Echobreeze meowed comfortingly as he got stuck on water mint. "And don't worry so much," she added sharply. "That fogs your brain. If you were calm, you'd easily remember what water mint is for."

Onepaw breathed in deeply. "Bellyaches."

"Exactly." Echobreeze licked up the bitter herbs. "And you never have to be afraid of asking Brightheart for help. She knows quite a few herbs herself."

Echobreeze looked at the sky. The sun was sliding upward, illuminating the camp in its warm rays. The rest of the patrol was gathering at the entrance, conversing quietly to each other, wondering who Crowfeather, Breezepelt, and Mistystar would choose to come.

The patrol made its way into the WindClan border. As they neared the WindClan-RiverClan edge, there was a yowl, and four cats, three black and one brown tabby, hurled themselves over the crest of a hill and joined them.

"Crowfeather," Squirrelflight meowed, barely keeping a hiss out of her voice.

"Breezepelt," Jayfeather meowed shortly.

"Heathertail," Lionblaze snarled.

"Nightcloud?!" Dovewing exclaimed, then realized how surprised she sounded and shut her mouth.

"Isn't she crazy?" Dawnlight whispered, but received a sharp glance from Tawnypelt and quieted.

The four WindClan cats coolly surveyed the ThunderClan cats, then promptly moved on. The ThunderClan cats followed them to the fallen tree to the Gathering island.

Echobreeze leapt onto the Gathering island and into the middle, and the WindClan cats immediately separated themselves from the ThunderClan cats. Sighing, Tawnypelt and Dawnlight made their way over to a place by themselves. The rest of the cats circled together.

"We just have to wait for the RiverClan cats," Squirrelflight snapped. Echobreeze was surprised to hear Squirrelflight acting so mean, but then she saw the pain glistening in her eyes, and realized this would be the first time that Squirrelflight ever went to the Tribe without Bramblestar.

"Come on, cheer up!" Dovewing meowed, bouncing a little. "This Tribe—are they really interesting? Why are they different from a Clan? Who are Stormfur and Brook, anyway?"

"The Tribe is pretty different," Squirrelflight meowed. "The medicine cat and leader are the same cat, called a Healer. Stoneteller is the Healer right now. Their fresh-kill piles are called caught-prey, and they didn't know about borders until we had to show them how to mark them moons ago, because they'd never had any other cats on their borders before that. Stormfur is the son of Graystripe and a RiverClan cat, Silverstream, who died giving birth to him and his sister, Feathertail, who died saving the Tribe from Sharptooth, a giant cat who was preying on them all. Brook's full name is Brook Where Small Fish Swim, and Stormfur fell in love with her, so during the Great Journey we stayed with the Tribe for a little while, and Stormfur stayed permanently to be with Brook, because he had no kin in the Clans anymore, thinking Graystripe was dead because he had been captured by Twolegs."

Dovewing's mouth was hanging open, but she quickly shut it as she saw what Echobreeze saw, too. A silver tabby form was slinking through the shadows, regarding the travelers with jealousy and excitement.

Dovewing and Echobreeze slowly moved away from the other cats. "Why is Ivyvine here?" Dovewing hissed when they couldn't be heard.

"She wanted to come," Echobreeze whispered back. "Besides, you try and stop her."

Dovewing shrugged. "I'm not saying I'm not glad she's coming. Truthfully, I was sort of hoping she'd do something like this."

A yowl announced the arrival of the RiverClan cats, and Mistystar appeared in the clearing, followed by the two RiverClan cats Echobreeze least wanted to see.

"They're taking Willowshine?" Dovewing meowed, sounding surprised. "We already have a medicine cat, so it's not like we need another."

Echobreeze groaned.

Dovewing looked at her. "Look, I know you don't like her because she's hitting on Jayfeather, but we _could _use her--"

"Not her," Echobreeze hissed. "_Him._"

"What do you have against Robinflight?"

Echobreeze didn't know how, out of all Mistystar's warriors, Mistystar decided to choose Robinflight. But he was there, his tortoiseshell-and-white fur gleaming in the sunlight, his eyes burning with anger that Echobreeze was chosen also.

Mistystar yowled, "I have chosen my medicine cat Willowshine to accompany you on the journey, so that she may help Jayfeather in case of any injuries." Her gaze swept over Echobreeze and Dovewing, though Echobreeze didn't know why. "I have also chosen Robinflight, because he is young, loyal, strong, and agile, and he insisted to go, while all my other warriors agreed."

Echobreeze snorted derisively. Of _course _he had insisted to go; going to the Tribe was something that most of the greatest warriors of the time had done, and Robinflight just wanted to be included in that elite group.

Robinflight hissed at her as he padded by, then went to sit with Breezepelt. _Two snobbish warriors, _Echobreeze thought savagely. _They'll be best friends by the end of this journey._

Echobreeze leapt lightly to her feet, seeing that all the warriors were ready to go. Mistystar dipped her head to the journeying cats and left.

Robinflight was still shooting her angry glares. Echobreeze felt her fur prickle. _Why _couldn't he leave her alone?

The rest of the cats rose, leapt onto the fallen tree, off the other side, and stared up at the mountains, wondering what their journey would bring.

**Hmmm, interesting, no?**


	49. Chapter 46

**Well, thanks for all the reviews, and now, READ ON, MY FELLOW WARRIORS, FOR THERE IS STORY TO TELL!**

Echobreeze laid down with the rest of her Clanmates. The RiverClan and WindClan warriors separated into their own group. Echobreeze felt like she'd never sleep again, with the excitement at the prospect of going to the mountains. She looked at them, stretching to the sky, and felt very small, as they were only at the foot. Finally, Echobreeze fell asleep, and found herself in the starry forest of StarClan.

Spottedleaf immediately appeared, looking upset. "Echobreeze, you're one of the most difficult cats we've ever dealt with."

"What?" Echobreeze meowed defensively. "What'd I do?"

Spottedleaf sighed noisily. "Echobreeze, as I warned before, _you have to be careful where your affections fall_."

"You've already warned me about that," Echobreeze breathed sadly. "It was about Flameheart." Then her anger swelled up inside her again. "But Flameheart is dead. You warned me about Flameheart. I know what I did was wrong, loving a medicine cat, but it hasn't done any lasting harm."

"Did I ever say specifically that I was talking about Flameheart?"

Echobreeze was taken aback. "But…you said…someone close to me…right?"

"Echobreeze, you didn't pay attention much," Spottedleaf hissed. "Who has been next to you at every Gathering?"

"Um, Dovewing? Ivyvine?" Echobreeze tried.

"Who has been singling you out, looking for you everywhere, breaking rules to see you?"

"That would be StarClan, according to Bluestar," Echobreeze mewed, tipping her head.

"Who have you met in battle that refused to attack you?"

Echobreeze stopped for a moment. "That one badger, after I attacked its friend."

"You don't see, Echobreeze," Spottedleaf meowed seriously. "You don't see. And sometimes, that can be deadly."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't see…" Spottedleaf's voice was fading. "You don't see…"

"Kits!"

Echobreeze awoke at the sound of Dawnlight's startled yowl.

"What?" Squirrelflight meowed groggily. "You're having kits? Good for you." Squirrelflight rolled over in her sleep.

"No!" Dawnlight sounded genuinely panicked, so Echobreeze opened one bleary eye, to look at the bristling cream-furred she-cat, who was supposed to be standing guard. "It's those kits!"

"What kits?" Crowfeather meowed with disgust.

"Dappleberry's kits!"

Echobreeze was on her paws and next to Dawnlight at once. Sure enough, cowering behind a tree stump, were three pairs of blue eyes, and a sparkle every now and then that spoke of a fourth.

"Well, this isn't going to make Tigerheart like me any more," Echobreeze muttered to herself, then realized Dawnlight was looking at her peculiarly.

"What?"

Echobreeze remembered that Dawnlight was Tigerheart's sister, and that these kits were her nieces and nephews, too. "Nothing," Echobreeze meowed quickly. "Come on, let's go see what they're up to."

Ringkit was crouched boldly in front of his brother and sisters, looking up at Echobreeze with eyes as round as moons.

"We followed you!" he squeaked gleefully. "And you didn't even know!"

Echobreeze stood sternly over the kits. "You should not have done that," she hissed. "You'll have to go back to camp, immediately."

"Will the silver cat take us?"

Dawnlight threw Echobreeze a questioning glance. Echobreeze hissed in annoyance as she realized that Ivyvine must have been doing something stupid, like egging them on.

"Quite possibly," she growled. "Now, tell me, _why did you follow me_?"

Now Ringkit was cowering. "Daddy wasn't being nice," he meowed sullenly, "he kept saying you were evil or something. So we ran away."

"Why didn't you go to your mother?" Dawnlight asked.

Ringkit's eyes were huge. "How could we? She left."

"Dappleberry left?" Echobreeze urged. "Where?"

"Who's Dappleberry?" Ringkit asked, seeming thoroughly confused. "Aren't you our mother, Echobreeze?"

**Ooooooh, sorta cliffie kinda thing. Awwww, it's so cute, but depressing, isn't it, that the poor little kits don't know their real mother? Haha, I have a reason for making them come on this journey, though, one that you will not find out till far into the future…MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!**


	50. Chapter 47

**…**

Dawnlight looked from Echobreeze to the kits in astonishment. "You told them you were their mother?" she asked, not sounding outraged, but just stunned.

"I—I never—no—I didn't—" Echobreeze spluttered.

"Well, Daisy and Ferncloud said neither of them were our mother," Ringkit meowed imploringly, "so I guessed that since Echobreeze was always with us that she was our mother. And you are, right?"

Dawnlight curled the kits into her tail. "No, little ones," she meowed soothingly. "Echobreeze isn't your mother."

"Oh." Ringkit's head furrowed in bewilderment. "Then are you, Dawnlight?"

"No," Dawnlight meowed again. "I am the sister of your father, Tigerheart, and Echobreeze is the sister of your mother. Her name is Dappleberry."

"Where is she?" Ringkit asked. "Is she gone, like Firekit and Leafkit's mother?"

"No, she's not," Echobreeze meowed firmly. "She's in the medicine cats' den. She was…sick, and she needed to get better before she could come and take care of you."

"What are we going to do with the kits?" Breezepelt broke in, coming up next to them. "We can't waste time taking the little pieces of fox-dung back to ThunderClan." His face split into a sneer. "Unless one of _you'd _like to take them back. Maybe even both of you. That would be even better."

Echobreeze whirled around. "Say that again," she growled dangerously.

"You can't make me," Breezepelt meowed arrogantly.

"Coward," Echobreeze snarled.

"Breezepelt's right, you know," Robinflight called.

"Stay out of this, fish-face!" Echobreeze hissed. She turned back to Breezepelt. "You're too weak to admit what you said?"

Breezepelt unsheathed his claws. "You wouldn't _dare _called me weak."

"I would, Breeze_kit_," Echobreeze taunted.

Breezepelt lunged at Echobreeze, with yowls of "Stop!" from Squirrelflight and Willowshine; a silent mocking of Breezepelt came off of Lionblaze and Jayfeather; Robinflight and Crowfeather were silently egging on Breezepelt, while Dovewing and Ivyvine, who had suddenly appeared, were openly yowling, "Claw his face off, Echobreeze!"

Echobreeze dodged Breezepelt's first lunge, but being so quick as a WindClan cat, he easily regained his composure and came at her again; Echobreeze felt glad that she had some WindClan blood in her as she dodged his other attack and sprang onto his back, realizing that Breezepelt was Jayfeather's half-brother, and therefore her kin.

Heathertail was just watching her mate, her eyes flicking back and forth from Breezepelt to Echobreeze, as though almost unsure who to root for.

Echobreeze clawed out clumps of fur from Breezepelt's shoulder, and he snarled and shook her off; she landed deftly on her feet and shot him a furious glare, her pale blue eyes blazing.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get," Breezepelt caterwauled, and the two started fighting again. The kits were squealing "Go, Echobreeze!" The blood roared in her ears as she thought of what Breezepelt had called her sister's kits…_pieces of fox dung…You're a piece of fox-dung, Breezpelt…_

Echobreeze gracefully twisted away from Breezepelt's slashing claws, and retaliated by slashing her own claws down his flank, feeling the warm blood begin to flow under her paw. She leapt out of the way as Breezepelt tried to kick out at her, and slid herself quickly along the ground and under his belly, where she slashed and twirled her way out again before Breezepelt came crashing down on her. She felt the wind rippling through her fur, the power coursing through her muscles.

_Is this how Lionblaze feels_, she wondered as she dodged another of Breezepelt's attacks, _when he's fighting? Like he can't be touched…like he can't be hurt?_

**…**


	51. Chapter 48

**Erm…**

Breezepelt gave up, and slumped to the ground, panting. Crowfeather looked beside himself with fury, as did Nightcloud.

"Why didn't you help him?" she meowed shrilly to Crowfeather. "Look at our son! He's hurt, and he's got kits to take care of back in WindClan!"

"The kits are apprentices now," Crowfeather meowed indifferently. Echobreeze felt startled as Crowfeather looked her straight in the eye, and it wasn't fury in his eyes anymore, but something else…interest? "They may even be warriors."

"What are you talking about, they just became apprentices!" Nightcloud shrieked.

"He means that _his son's _kits," Heathertail meowed, emphasizing _his son's_, "already have the heart of a warrior."

Nightcloud seemed to calm down a little.

Heathertail was looking furiously at Crowfeather, who seemed more interested in his estranged son's daughter than his own son. Echobreeze felt her pelt prickle with discomfort.

"Well," Tawnypelt meowed, clearing her throat and glancing at the lightening sky, "we should decide something, shouldn't we?" Her gaze swept in the kits and Ivyvine. "Obviously, since Ivyvine isn't supposed to be here, she should be the one to take the kits back."

"We're already so far from camp," Ivyvine moaned. "How am I going to take them back myself?"

"How did they get here themselves?" Tawnypelt asked sharply, and Ivyvine's blue eyes flickered.

"If Ivyvine's going back, then I am, too," Dovewing meowed quickly, going to stand by her sister.

Lionblaze gasped. "No!" he meowed, then seeing that the others were looking at him strangely, he meowed quickly, "Well, I think that both Ivyvine and Dovewing were…worthy to come on such a journey…"

"Well, what can we do with the kits?" Breezepelt asked angrily as Willowshine pressed cobwebs to his bleeding flank. "We can't afford to lose time to take the kits back, can we? Because we're about a day away from camp, and that would throw us off schedule majorly."

"There's only one thing to do, isn't there?" Dawnlight meowed sadly.

"Dawnlight, we can't do that!" Tawnypelt gasped. "It's dangerous!"

"We have to, though," Dawnlight insisted. "We have to take the kits with us."

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Echobreeze felt the weight of Spottedkit holding her down. The WindClan cats and Robinflight had gone on ahead, taunting them for their stupid kits and how idiotic they looked right now. Echobreeze was carrying Spottedkit, Dawnlight was carrying Ringkit, Dovewing had Ashkit and Ivyvine had Nightkit. Tawnypelt and Willowshine were hovering around them worriedly, and they had to break frequently so that Squirrelflight could suckle them and lick off the crust around Spottedkit's eyes. Spottedkit was able to open her eyes for a day now, but at night as she slept it would come back, and they would have to go through the whole procedure in the morning. Lionblaze and Jayfeather hung to the back, bringing up the rear.

They were barely up the foot of the mountain, and already the sun was sinking. The kits were definitely hindering their journey, with their often rests and sucklings. More than once Breezepelt and Robinflight ran far off ahead and didn't come back for a while, and when they did they would be irritable that they had barely made it any further.

Echobreeze had to admit, the kits themselves weren't making it any easier. It wasn't just the fact that they were kits, but the fact that they were _complaining _kits.

"My scruff hurts!" Ashkit squealed.

"Maybe you should have thought about this before you came along," Dovewing meowed through his puffy fur.

"I'm hungry!" Nightkit complained.

"You just suckled a few moments ago!" Ivyvine meowed, annoyed.

"Why can't we play?" Ringkit whined.

"We have a journey to complete," Dawnlight snapped.

"I can't see! My eyes are stuck together!" Spottedkit yowled, furiously batting at her eyes with her tiny little paws.

Echobreeze's patience was wearing thin as Breezepelt meowed, not bothering to lower his voice, "I'm so glad _WindClan _trains their kits to behave, so they don't do stupid things like following a warrior patrol out of territory."

"If I remember correctly, Breezepelt," Jayfeather growled quietly, "Heathertail led those WindClan kits into the tunnels, didn't she? And they nearly drowned."

Breezepelt's hackles rose. "Don't you _dare _insult my mate."

Echobreeze sighed angrily. "Not _this _again! Look, Breezepelt, you and your Clanmates are just the biggest pieces of fox dung I've ever seen, okay? Now _please_, can we _get on with the journey_? It's not _our _fault that these kits got some crazy idea in their head to follow us! Now _shut up_!"

"Don't you _dare _insult us!"

"Don't you have a bigger vocabulary?"

"How dare you!"

"Exactly my point!"

Echobreeze dropped Spottedkit on a patch of grass, who scrambled to go play with a pebble but what picked up gently by Tawnypelt. Spottedkit let out an angry huff. "Aren't we even allowed to touch the ground?"

"No," whispered Tawnypelt. "For this ground is much more dangerous than you could imagine."

"How?" Ringkit meowed boldly, and, wrenching himself from Dawnlight's grasp, he raced forward.

"No!"

The cry came from not Dawnlight, or Echobreeze, or any ThunderClan cat.

It was Crowfeather.

Ringkit's eyes widened in terror as he tried to skid to a halt, but he couldn't stop his little paws, and with his eyes bulging, he fell into a gorge.

**Another cliffie?**


	52. Chapter 49

**Well, I left you hanging, so here you go!**

Almost automatically, Crowfeather lunged forward and grasped the falling Ringkit by his small tail, causing Ringkit to cry out in fear and pain. Crowfeather's paws scrabbled against the rocks at the edge of the gorge, so Echobreeze leapt forward to help him. Shaking, she pulled on Crowfeather's tail to bring them both back to safety.

Ringkit cried and ran back to Dawnlight, who picked him up again. He never looked happier to be picked up.

Willowshine sniffed the kit all over. "Just shock," she whispered, looking around, "though I don't know what Tribe cats may use instead of poppy seeds."

Echobreeze looked up into Crowfeather's face…her grandfather's face.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why…did you save him? When…you killed my brother."

Crowfeather shook his head. "Not now," he murmured.

After the events of the day, the cats finally fell asleep, just leaving Crowfeather and Echobreeze awake.

"You killed my brother," Echobreeze meowed shakily. "Why did you save Ringkit?"

Crowfeather's eyes were pained. "I never meant to kill Silverkit." When Echobreeze looked surprised, he meowed, "Oh, yes, I know his name was Silverkit. I remember the announcement of Lionblaze and Hazeltail's four kits. Silverkit, Snowkit, Dapplekit, and Echokit." He fixed Echobreeze with his amber gaze. "But you know what? That's it. That's all I remember."

Echobreeze's breath caught in her throat. "What?"

"I have no idea what happened. But suddenly, it was two moons later, and Breezepelt…he was telling me how I killed Lionblaze's kit." Crowfeather swallowed. "I don't care that Lionblaze is my son. Nightcloud and Breezepelt are my true family. But it was just the idea…why would I kill a kit? Why?" Crowfeather looked genuinely distressed. "I don't know what happened in those two moons. Everything was just a blur. It was like I was seeing everything through a dream, not comprehending what I was doing. It was like something…was controlling my mind."

Echobreeze listened to Crowfeather's chilling tale with a coldness setting over her heart. What had happened to him? It was like what happened with Mousewhisker…and Snaketail...and now the rest of ShadowClan.

"Is it a sickness?" Echobreeze hissed, clawing the ground. "What is making this happen?"

Crowfeather shook his head wearily. "I don't know, Echobreeze. All I know is that I never meant to hurt your brother." He gazed at her. "Do you forgive me?"

Echobreeze never thought she would be saying the words that she said to Crowfeather. "Yes, Crowfeather," she meowed softly to her grandfather. "I forgive you."

Echobreeze woke up the next morning with new vigor. Her heart felt considerably lighter, and she realized that it was no longer weighed down by the hatred that she had felt for Crowfeather, and his murdering of her foster brother.

Breezepelt stood over her and smirked at her, and Echobreeze realized she was the last to wake up.

"So, you finally awaken," he drawled. "We were thinking of leaving you behind."

"Well, it's a good thing I woke up when I did," Echobreeze meowed cheerfully to a startled Breezepelt. She flicked his shoulder with her tail. "I'm going to go hunt. And maybe you should start thinking of possibly pulling your weight around here. I've noticed you haven't hunted at all, and all you're doing is taunting us and the kits. Maybe we're not so much the useless ones." She sauntered off in a flouncy manner, leaving Breezepelt to gape at her.

Echobreeze caught a mouse and gobbled it down ferociously. Licking her chops, she went back to the makeshift camp, and saw that the cats were all getting ready, Tawnypelt picking up a petrified Ringkit, Squirrelflight getting Ashkit, and Willowshine picking up Nightkit. Echobreeze headed for Spottedkit, until suddenly Breezepelt swooped in and picked up Spottedkit in his jaws. Echobreeze looked at him, her eyes wide, and Breezepelt's ears flattened in embarrassment. "You know, just…getting something to do," he meowed gruffly, taking away Spottedkit, who was swinging around so much that her face was screwed up in an effort not to be sick.

Dovewing and Ivyvine stared after Breezepelt, their eyes bulging out of their heads.

"What are you, some kind of magical StarClan cat?" Ivyvine asked, still goggling at the sight of Breezepelt holding Spottedkit helpfully.

Echobreeze shrugged mysteriously.

The cats leapt the gorge that Ringkit had nearly killed himself in easily, and they continued up the rocky mountain, often switching kit-shift so that the others could get a break. The going got pretty tough, with many vertical cliffs and high boulders to jump on, and they hadn't made it nearly to where Squirrelflight and Tawnypelt said was the halfway point before they were too exhausted to move on.

Their new makeshift camp was made between two gorges, because it was the only flat part they could find. Echobreeze hoped dearly that none of them were restless sleepers tonight.

Echobreeze laid down near Crowfeather, almost jokingly trying to delve into his dreams, like Jayfeather could. Nothing happened, so she rolled over, almost disappointed, to look out at the mountains.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and Echobreeze was standing in the middle of ThunderClan camp as a battle raged on.

WindClan and ThunderClan were fighting everywhere, but it all seemed, fuzzy, foggy, hazy to Echobreeze. She couldn't really comprehend what was going on, but she felt lean, powerful, and thirsting for blood…a specific cat's blood in particular.

Snarling savagely at Whitewing, who was protecting the nursery, Echobreeze opened her jaws to taste the air. Yes…there was the scent. It was faint, but Echobreeze could still detect it.

Echobreeze followed the scent, slashing at Foxpelt on the way. Almost there…

It became tangled with herbs, and Echobreeze dimly realized that this must be the medicine cats' den. The thought of medicine cats pained her deeply, though, so she pushed it away and leapt inside the den, yowling fearlessly.

There. There she was.

Echobreeze started forward at the little unconscious kit, and the only thought running through her mind was the thought of the kit's warm blood soaking her jaws, trickling down her throat, staining her fur…

"Go away!"

Echobreeze snarled as another kit stood in the way of the one she wanted.

"Get away from her!" the little silver kit squeaked. "I won't let you hurt her!"

"She must die, foolish kit," Echobreeze caterwauled, and the small part of Echobreeze that was still herself to hear that she didn't sound like herself. She sounded like another cat…so familiar, but yet so horrifying…

"No!" the silver kit yowled. "You can't! She's…she's special, and StarClan's got something in plan for her, you can't interfere with it!"

"Then you both must die!" Echobreeze yowled, and lunged at the kit and pressed its neck to the ground. She felt its struggles grow weaker and weaker…

She ripped out its throat.

The little kit's eyes glazed over, it's jaws forever suspended in that look of shock and terror. Echobreeze enjoyed the blood, felt the purity of the innocent kit's blood washing through her, cleaner than the river…

Echobreeze turned toward the little unconscious kit.

_Do it, _hissed a voice in her head. _Kill her._

_Kill Echokit._

**…Holy crap. That was terrifying. You have to review, if you don't, I'll go bury my head in a pillow and cry because writing that will give me nightmares.**


	53. Chapter 50

**That last chapter scared the crap outta me. Now, let's turn to happier events…but alas, happier events cannot happen in my story.**

Echobreeze woke with a start. She had been inside Crowfeather's dream!

She had been inside Crowfeather's memory.

Chills swept through her as she remembered the voice.

_Do it. Kill her._

_Kill Echokit._

Echobreeze trembled at the familiar voice.

It wasn't hers.

It wasn't Crowfeather's.

It was Tigerstar's.

Echobreeze fell back into a fitful sleep, but when she awoke, she didn't remember Crowfeather's memory at all.

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"Hey, Echobreeze, why do you look so shaky?"

Echobreeze shook her head. "I don't know, Ivyvine. I've been trying to remember, honestly, but I just get this feeling that something big happened last night."

Ivyvine snorted. "You're probably thinking of how Breezepelt actually carried Spottedkit. The poor thing was nearly retching by the time she was switched off."

Echobreeze didn't think it was that, but she didn't keep talking. Instead, she walked in silence, watching Ashkit as he was carried by a reluctant Heathertail.

Suddenly, the ground trembled. Echobreeze nearly fell off her feet. Ashkit flew out of Heathertail's mouth and landed on the ground with a sickening _thud_. After seeing this, Lionblaze, Squirrelflight, and Dovewing tightened their grip on their kits' scruffs, making the kits cry out.

"What is that?" Ivyvine yowled.

Crowfeather's eyes widened as he looked up at the mountain. "Rockfall!" he screeched desperately.

"What can we do?" Heathertail wailed as the rocks began to tumble toward them. "I can't die! I have kits in WindClan!"

Echobreeze almost snarled at her. _You're forgetting about the kit you just dropped and probably killed!_

"We have to go to shelter!" Tawnypelt yowled. "Quickly, into that cave!"

_Is that really going to help? _Echobreeze thought, but there wasn't time; the rocks were coming even closer. Echobreeze could just envision them, crushed by heavy rocks.

"Go!" Tawnypelt yowled.

The WindClan cats ran by Ashkit's motionless body with no regard. Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, and Dovewing followed quickly; Tawnypelt and Dawnlight were directing them all toward the cave. Ivyvine was stumbling desperately, barely able to move because of the shaking ground, Willowshine trying to help her along. Echobreeze watched in horror as a giant rock bounced down on top of Ashkit. It bounced away, and Echobreeze breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that there had been a dip in the rock, which had prevented Ashkit from being crushed.

Echobreeze darted around, dodging boulders and rocks, and there was a wail of pain but Echobreeze couldn't check where it came from. Leaping over a small rock, the grabbed Ashkit and ran for her life. She made it into the cave, gasping, and then laid down Ashkit.

"Ashkit, please don't be dead," she gasped, nosing the still kit. "Ashkit, you can't be dead, please, Ashkit, wake up!"

Jayfeather came over and nosed Ashkit. "He's breathing," he meowed, and Echobreeze felt a sweep of relief, which was quickly brushed aside by "But barely."

Ivyvine staggered into the cave, Willowshine leaning against her and bleeding heavily from her shoulder.

"Hit by a rock," Willowshine grunted.

Jayfeather went over to Willowshine. "Cobwebs," he mewed, sounding almost fearful. "Are there cobwebs in here?"

Dawnlight leaped into the air, reaching into the corners, while Nightkit dragged her paw along the bottom, accumulating so many cobwebs that she couldn't keep her balance. Dawnlight and Nightkit came back covered in cobwebs.

"Good," Jayfeather meowed. "Now, I'm going to have to clean out the wound."

"No, Jayfeather," Willowshine meowed, though her blue eyes were shining with hidden pleasure, "let me do it myself."

"No, Willowshine, I'll do it," Jayfeather mewed, and started licking her shoulder wound with such tenderness that Echobreeze felt like she was going to retch.

"That doesn't bother you?" Ivyvine hissed.

With difficulty, Echobreeze shook her head. "Jayfeather's just treating her as a patient," she choked.

Dovewing came over. "Do something!" she hissed. "Otherwise, Willowshine's going to think that something's going on with them!"

"No," Echobreeze mewed, with all the firmness she could manage, "nothing's going to happen."

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"Jayfeather, can I talk to you?"

Dovewing and Ivyvine's heads snapped to Echobreeze.

"Go, intervene!" Ivyvine hissed as Willowshine and Jayfeather padded into a secluded corner. "Remind Jayfeather that you're his daughter!"

"He wouldn't forget," Echobreeze pointed out. "He chose me to come on this journey."

Dovewing and Ivyvine still looked doubtful.

"Fine, I'll eavesdrop," Echobreeze meowed exasperatedly. "And don't come with me," she snapped as Dovewing and Ivyvine got up to follow her. "If anything _is _going on, this is between me and Jayfeather. And Cinderheart."

Dovewing and Ivyvine sat down heavily, and instead looked at the sleeping cats around them.

"Hope they don't wake up," Ivyvine grunted.

Echobreeze slipped into the shadows, stalking around the edges of the cave as Jayfeather and Willowshine sat down to talk. As she came within their whispering range, she heard Willowshine murmur, "--had to talk to you."

"About what, Willowshine?" Jayfeather asked sharply. "You know better than to..."

Willowshine shook her head. "I can't help it, Jayfeather. You know that."

"You have to let it go," Jayfeather growled. "I know that...you thought that...we had something before. But it's over, Willowshine."

"It's because of _her_, isn't it?" Willowshine whispered shrilly. "It's because of that...that _Cinderheart_!"

Jayfeather fixed Willowshine in his gaze. Then he said something that made Echobreeze nearly yowl with anger and disbelief.

"You know I've always loved you, Willowshine," he mewed softly. "But we can't continue a relationship. After...what happened."

Willowshine's eyes misted over. "She's become a fine warrior, Jayfeather," she whispered.

Jayfeather nodded. "I'm proud of her. And...if you could only see her in everyday life..." He looked at the roof of the cave. "You would be so proud of her, too."

"Echobreeze," Willowshine meowed sadly, and Echobreeze's heart pounded, and her vision went unfocused at Willowshine's final two words.

"My Echobreeze."

**Holy crap...what did I just do? I never meant for that to happen...omigosh, I sound like what Willowshine would say. The truth will be revealed...if you keep reading!**


	54. Chapter 51

**Hahaha, that was the freakishest cliffie in the history of cliffies!!!!!!! Okay, maybe not, but I think it was pretty big. Well, would it be considered a cliffie, just because of the fact that it wasn't much of a cliffie, it told you stuff? Oh...I don't know the exact definition of 'cliffie', and I don't intend to go and look it up. SOOOOO...I suppose you're all dying to hear what Echobreeze thinks, so, here we go!**

Echobreeze staggered backwards into the side of the cave.

_Willowshine?_

_Willowshine is my mother?_

_How can that be?_

_Cinderheart admitted it._

_She _told _Jayfeather that I was _her _kit._

_How can Willowshine be my mother, too?_

Echobreeze's brain started reeling out a story of what may have happened.

_Willowshine knew she was expecting Jayfeather's kits. She knew that Jayfeather also liked Cinderheart. Cinderheart didn't want to take her kits, but felt guilty, so she told Hazeltail that she was having Jayfeather's kits, and Hazeltail agreed to take them. Then Willowshine had her kit, and took her to Cinderheart, who in turn gave her to Hazeltail. Jayfeather knew nothing, and finally Cinderheart was tired of hiding secrets from him, but didn't want to tell on Willowshine, so she told Jayfeather that Echobreeze was her kit. Jayfeather then went and told Willowshine of what Cinderheart told him, and Willowshine told him the truth._

It was confusing.

It was complicated.

It was the only thing that Echobreeze could think might be the truth.

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Echobreeze arched her back and looked out of the cave at the aftermath of the rockfall.

The ground was broken up, and boulders were scattered everywhere. The going was going to be tough, that was sure.

Echobreeze turned back. Ivyvine and Dovewing kept shooting her fearful and sympathetic glances. Echobreeze almost wished she hadn't told them what she had overheard.

"It's horrible," she told everyone. "It's definitely not going to be easy to get to the Tribe like this."

Breezepelt groaned. "I don't even want to be on this stupid journey anymore," he growled. "Who cares that that RiverClan traitor and stupid Tribe cat are going to have kits? It doesn't concern the Clans in any way."

To everyone's surprise, Crowfeather rounded on his son. "It may not matter to _you_, but it matters to the rest of us, so just shut up for once!"

"Crowfeather!" Nightcloud screeched. "Don't talk to our son like that!"

"Don't defend him!" Lionblaze snarled. "He doesn't deserve it!"

Suddenly, a deep, strong voice shot out. "Stop!"

Everyone turned to Ashwind.

"I'd never heard of the Tribe before this journey." Ashwind's gaze swept the silent cats. "I could say I was almost even excited about coming on this journey. But since we've come, it's been nothing but nonstop arguing, and...and attacking, and insulting. I wish it would just stop. I wish we could just travel in peace, as Clan cats."

No one said anything.

Finally, Jayfeather meowed, "Ashwind is right. We need to get along. If we don't, we'll never make it to the Tribe. And more people will get hurt," he added pointedly, taking in Willowshine and Ashkit.

Ashkit stirred. "What?" he groaned, his mew slurred. "Someone say my name?"

"No," Willowshine meowed comfortingly, "go back to sleep."

Ashkit stilled.

The cats all went back to their own thoughts or quiet conversations, but Ashwind padded up next to Echobreeze.

"Convincing?" he meowed simply.

"You know you're right," Echobreeze mewed, looking out at the mountains. "We haven't made it far, because of our constant arguing. If we hadn't been fighting so much, we'd have been there by now, and we wouldn't have to travel through what the rockfall left."

Ashwind nodded, and retreated.

**That wasn't a very exciting chapter, but I'll get on with it, I promise.**


	55. Chapter 52

**Urgh...I'm tired...**

Echobreeze leapt onto the next boulder, Nightkit swinging from her jaws.

"Ouch!" Nightkit squealed as her bottom scraped the jagged edge.

"Sorry," Echobreeze muttered as she tried to hold her balance.

Ashwind leapt nimbly up beside her. "Switch-off," he grunted, and Echobreeze gratefully handed Nightkit over to him.

They had spent three days recovering in the cave until Willowshine had deemed that she felt fit enough to travel, and Ashkit had regained full consciousness.

Echobreeze let Ashwind continue in front of her, and then followed, her muscles screaming with protest. They had been traveling nonstop for the past two days, making it a quarter-moon since they had left the Clans.

As they all met on top of the cliff, Tawnypelt stopped. "Here," she meowed. "We're nearly three-fourths of the way there."

"Finally," Ivyvine groaned. "How long have we been traveling for?"

"I'm sure the Clan is worried about the kits," Dovewing murmured. "I bet Dappleberry's beside herself with horror and sadness, wailing day and night, with Tigerheart always pressed up against her, soothing her by saying it's Echobreeze's fault." Dovewing spat onto the ground. "Jerk."

Echobreeze shrugged wearily. "I'm just glad we're finally making progress." Ashwind's truce had been working so far.

"Should we make camp?" Squirrelflight asked. "The kits need to suckle." Squirrelflight looked at the barely quarter-moon old kits. "This is a big journey for us. Imagine how it is for someone their size and their fragileness."

"We're not fragile!" Ringkit meowed, annoyed, but as Squirrelflight laid down and brought them into the curve of her belly, he didn't refuse her milk.

Suddenly, there was an earsplitting screech like nothing Echobreeze had ever heard. All the cats who had not been in the mountains before or on the Great Journey were looking around wildly; however, the other cats were staring fearfully at the sky, while Crowfeather unsheathed his claws and yowled, "Eagle!"

Echobreeze looked up fearfully. It wasn't just one eagle, it was three. And they were all eyeing the cats beadily.

The first eagle swooped. Squirrelflight curled her tail protectively around the kits and hissed. Crowfeather leaped into the air and managed to claw the eagle's wing. Screeching, the eagle rose into the air, and the second came down. Tawnypelt jumped it and sliced down it's belly. The eagle's blood dripped on Echobreeze's fur as the eagle rose again. All three came shooting down at the kits, who squealed in fright.

Echobreeze didn't think. Just as the eagles were upon her nieces and nephews, Echobreeze took a mighty leap over the kits, so that she was right in the eagles' path.

The last thing she remembered was pain and the sensation of falling, and her vision went black.

**This has got to be the shortest chappie EVA! I don't mean in the Fanfiction world, I just mean in this story...REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	56. Chapter 53

**CONTINUE!**

"Is she okay?"

"Is she dead?"

"Look at all that blood..."

"She's not breathing."

Voices floated in and out of Echobreeze's ears. She tried to move, but found that she couldn't. Instead, she opened her eyes.

She gasped.

It looked as though she were standing on top of a cliff, and below her were all the Clan cats, huddled around a gray and red lump. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that she was standing in midair, and that the gray and red lump was her own broken body.

"Echobreeze."

Echobreeze turned slowly, still marveling at how she seemed to be on solid ground, and saw Flameheart.

"Flameheart!" she meowed, feeling her heart stir, but realizing that she didn't look at him as anything but a dear friend anymore.

Flameheart nodded, and tipped his head at her sadly. "Look at yourself."

Echobreeze nodded too. "I know. It's a wonder I'm still alive."

Flameheart's eyes glistened. "No. I mean, yourself now."

Echobreeze looked at her paws, and jumped when she saw that they were frosted in stars. Peering over her shoulder at her back, her eyes widened as she saw that the rest of her fur was covered in beautiful, glittering stars also.

"This doesn't mean..." she mewed uneasily, looking up at Flameheart.

"I'm sorry, Echobreeze," he whispered. "I did everything I could to try and stop you from falling, or at least cushion it. But StarClan knew that I couldn't interfere with your fate."

"What would have happened," Echobreeze murmured, "if I hadn't sheltered the kits?"

Flameheart looked at her grimly. "You'd be alive, but Ringkit and Nightkit would be dead, Ashkit would be horribly maimed, and Spottedkit would have been carried away by an eagle, out of StarClan's sight."

Echobreeze felt her heart burst with pride at what she'd done. "Then I'm glad I'm dead," she meowed boldly, "and I'm ready to hunt with StarClan."

"Wait!"

Echobreeze watched as a disheveled Bramblestar seemed to fall out of the sky, to land next to her and Flameheart.

"Hello, Bramblestar," Echobreeze meowed, dipping her head to her former leader. "I am ready to hunt next to you."

"No," Bramblestar meowed coldly, almost making Echobreeze shiver. "Flameheart, you've made a mistake."

"What?" Flameheart asked, looking puzzled.

"She's not dead," he hissed frostily.

"What?" Echobreeze gasped.

"You're not dead," Bramblestar repeated. "You're hanging on to life by just a thread. Heart beating so faintly that no medicine cat could feel it. Breathing so shallowly that no medicine cat could hear it. But you're in that place, just between the earth and StarClan. That's why you're hanging in midair. Because fate hasn't decided yet where you belong."

Echobreeze listened to the voices rising from the living cats.

"No, Echobreeze, you can't be dead!" Ivyvine wailed.

"Echobreeze, please, come back!" Dovewing yowled desperately.

"What's wrong with Echobreeze?" Ringkit asked, tilting his head up at Dawnlight. "Why won't she move?"

"Echobreeze," Willowshine murmured, "my dear Echobreeze."

Bramblestar and Flameheart saw that she heard this, and winced. "Echobreeze, I think you deserve an explanation," Flameheart meowed.

"What, that Willowshine is my mother?" Echobreeze snapped. "I already figured that out, thanks."

Bramblestar sighed. "You're wrong."

"Then why is she calling me 'hers'?" Echobreeze retorted.

"Sit," Bramblestar meowed, and Echobreeze and Flameheart sat. Echobreeze noticed with a jolt that she seemed to be floating higher and higher towards the stars.

"Echobreeze, you are _not _Willowshine's daughter, but you are Jayfeather's daughter."

"Well, then, who's my mother?" Echobreeze growled.

"Echobreeze, Cinderheart is your mother."

Echobreeze paused, then asked, "But why does Jayfeather love Willowshine, and why does Willowshine seem to think I'm her kit?"

"Jayfeather loves both Willowshine and Cinderheart," Bramblestar meowed, "but he loves Cinderheart more. Hence, you." Echobreeze nodded. "His feelings are confused right now, because he is in love with both Willowshine and Cinderheart, but he is mad at Cinderheart for never telling him about his daughter."

"What about Willowshine?"

"I'm getting to that. See, Willowshine was always thinking of, though it was forbidden, taking her relationship further with Jayfeather. Once Jayfeather told her about you, however, she knew that it would never happen, that Jayfeather always loved Cinderheart more. Then Jayfeather told her of how he would not speak to Cinderheart anymore, and Willowshine began to hope again. But Jayfeather never really got over Cinderheart, and so she realized that her dream would never come true, so she and Jayfeather became nothing more than slightly more than friends, but since she was doing better with Jayfeather than Cinderheart, she began to think of herself as your mother."

Echobreeze was silent. Then she meowed, "That's complicated."

"Indeed it is," Bramblestar mewed gravely. "I never did understand she-cats." Then he looked pained. "There's sickness in the Clans."

"Not greencough?" Echobreeze meowed, surprised.

"No, not greencough," Bramblestar mewed sadly, "just a minor cold. But enough to claim the lives of kits, and all three of mine have fallen ill."

"I'm so sorry," Echobreeze whispered, licking Bramblestar over the ears comfortingly. She looked at the stars, so close now that she thought she could reach out her paw and touch them, and she mewed, "It's over, isn't it?"

Bramblestar drew in a deep, shuddering gasp, then meowed, "I might be able to do something."

"What could you do?" Echobreeze meowed, starting to sound bitter.

"I may be able to give some of my strength to you."

Echobreeze was interested. "How does that work?"

"Well, in StarClan, you are given boundless energy. I may be able to give you my extra energy, which would be just enough to bring you back. I wouldn't be tireless like the rest of StarClan; instead, I would be just like a regular cat. After many generations, my power would build up again to a full."

"I didn't know StarClan cats could do that," Echobreeze mused. "Why would you do that for me?"

"The prophecy, Echobreeze," Bramblestar hissed. "The prophecy."

"Bramblestar," Flameheart meowed suddenly, "you're needed in StarClan. You need to help make decisions and travel far distances...I can't let you give all your energy. Let me."

"Very well, Flameheart," Bramblestar meowed. "I trust you know what to do?"

Flameheart nodded.

"Quickly, now," Bramblestar hissed, and started to float into the stars. "She's nearly gone...just a few more moments and she'll be gone..."

Flameheart looked at Echobreeze. Dark blue eyes locked on pale blue eyes; Echobreeze saw in there all the love and affection that she had seen in Flameheart's life, and it hurt her that she couldn't show it back. Flameheart had been nothing more but a crush, not the real thing.

"I give Echobreeze, warrior of ThunderClan, all my StarClan-given energy, on the expense that I, Flameheart, former medicine cat apprentice of ShadowClan and ThunderClan, will have the strength of a normal cat, not one who walks in the stars. This energy will mean that Echobreeze, dying warrior of ThunderClan, will live long enough for medicine cats to give her the necessary treatment. Do you, Echobreeze, warrior of ThunderClan, accept this gift of energy, and promise to thank StarClan every day for your second chance?"

"I accept," Echobreeze meowed, almost choking.

"Then it is bestowed upon you. Echobreeze, warrior of ThunderClan, go back to the living." Flameheart's eyes glimmered with sadness. "Goodbye, Echobreeze," he called softly. "I love you, even if you don't feel the same way."

The stars on Echobreeze's fur shone like the sun, then suddenly, they all disappeared. Echobreeze felt herself free-falling back to the ground, where she landed with nothing more than a breath-stealing _thud_. Her eyes closed, and she molded back into her own body.

Pain hit her like an eagle's talon. It was the worst pain she could ever imagine. Everything hurt, from her ears to her tail-tip. Every sound seemed fuzzy and far-away, as though shouting from across the lake.

"So, that's it?" Robinflight mewed angrily. "You just let her die?"

_Surprising, he actually seems to care, _Echobreeze thought groggily.

"We couldn't've done anything," Willowshine argued sadly. "She was dead before she hit the ground."

_Was I? I couldn't exactly tell, considering that I was unconscious, _Echobreeze thought, as though Willowshine were talking to her.

"She's stronger than that," Robinflight snarled. "I know her."

_No, you don't, _Echobreeze wanted to say.

"No cat would be strong enough to survive that fall," Jayfeather snapped, the raw grief apparent in his voice.

_Jayfeather, don't blow it!_ Echobreeze begged in her mind. _I can't be any more important to you than any other cat._

"Are we going to bury her?" Ashwind rumbled, obviously trying to hide his sorrow.

_It's okay to grieve, Ashwind, _Echobreeze thought sympathetically. _I know you're not one to show your feelings, but no cat would think badly of you if you did._

The pain was threatening to overwhelm her into blackness again. Echobreeze knew she couldn't move; everything hurt too much. So instead, she let out a small, barely audible groan.

"What was that?" Ivyvine meowed suddenly.

"It sounded like it came from Echobreeze," Dawnlight meowed.

Echobreeze felt a paw push on her chest, and moaned in pain.

"She's alive!" Willowshine gasped.

"Great StarClan, really?" Robinflight meowed concernedly.

"She's--she's breathing!" Willowshine mewed breathlessly.

"And her heart's starting up again," Jayfeather meowed.

Echobreeze felt a guilty relief that she was alive, and slipped into a shallow unconsciousness.

**Hmmm...I wonder if StarClan can actually do that? They wouldn't do that over any old prophecy cat, would they? Don't start yelling at me like "StarClan would never do that for any cat, when they're dead, they're dead!" CoughcoughPoppyfrostcoughcough. And that was only because coughcoughJayfeathercoughcough wanted to save her. So what if StarClan themselves actually wanted to save a cat? Hmmm...it's a mystery.**


End file.
